Macavity's Carom
by SummerRose12
Summary: Sequel to Demeter's Secret. After almost a year of travel, Zelaphelia has returned to the Jellicles, but when a deadly virus hits the Junkyard, everyone is suddenly in danger. Can Zela find out what's really going on before the Jellicles face extinction?
1. Before the Beginning

**A/N: My new sequel is finally out! And thanks again to all of those who have reviewed from the last story. Hopefully they're will be even more this time. Oh yeah, thanks for your patience on my lateness. I know I said I'd have it out earlier this month to some of you. School, however, has proved to be more time-consuming than I thought…sorry! So without further delay, for all of you wonderful and loyal readers and reviewers, please enjoy the sequel to Demeter's Secret, Macavity's Carom. **

^~*~^

Zelaphelia walked slowly on the dilapidated road, leading into a grisly, if not vivacious, town. It was vandalized and as sketchy as the shadows that resided there. However, it was shelter enough for her. She had just come back from hunting for hours in the thick forest nearby. Sadly, she had only caught a scrawny brown rat, and an old magpie. They were small, but they were enough to feed three of her, which was convenient, considering the two other cats that she lived with. There names were Wynestelle and Cesaro. They were mates, living in a dumpster alley inside of the city, and were surprisingly appeased about making it their home. Cesaro did most of the hunting, while Wyne stayed in the alley, tidying and preparing the home for her mate and herself. They were friendly and loving, and enjoyed her company. They treated the golden-red queen like their own daughter. It was quite relieving after almost half a year of traveling.

It started when Zela had first left the Junkyard. She had stayed in the countryside for about a month, unsure of where to go. Unfortunately, that spot didn't last long. Winter had come, and by contrast, Zela was forced to leave from lack of food. After that she traveled numerous places, suffering intolerable conditions, and surviving on the scrappiest of meats and herbs. Yes, winter had been cruel and difficult, but she lived through it. During the beginning of the spring, Zela navigated through several small towns and villages for a temporary home, but alas, none prevailed. Most places she visited were hostile and unwelcoming. It became quite exasperating, and she wondered if she shouldn't just give up and go back to the Junkyard, but all of her doubts had vanished when she had met Cesaro and Wynestelle.

~~~~~ (five months before) ~~~~~~~

_The three of them met when Zela had entered a small town called Kingsten. Its first impression on her was little or less than positive. It was filthy, vandalized, and was a desolate piece of land. It didn't take much to convince Zelaphelia to move on to the next town. However, the length of property was much longer in Kingsten than the golden-red female had expected. After several hours of navigating through the ugly town, it seemed like she was lost in it. Nightfall came, and Zela had to find shelter. Unfortunately, that meant she had to stay in Kingsten. _

_In a shadowy part of the town, the golden-red queen was planning to sleep in a small alley behind a hotel, but found later, that a hostile mad cat almost larger than four of her was there. It was large, but unusually bony. He growled at her as white foam dropped from his face. It got into an attack position. Zela knew she could have easily protected herself, but before she did anything, a sudden jet-black flash ran up to the insane feline, and quickly sliced its throat. The beast fell to the ground and the figure that just happened to be a tom wiped his claw of the mad cat's blood, and then gingerly walked to her. The golden-red queen remembered standing there for a long time, recollecting what had happened, and saw that her defender was staring at her with the same contemplation._

_After moments of silence, the mysterious tom finally spoke, "Who are you?" he asked with a blank expression._

_Zela felt her throat closing tightly and a large knot in her stomach. At the spur of the moment, she started to blink uncontrollably. There was an uncomfortable silence. Zela couldn't move her lips for more than a minute. "My n-name-…um…My name is Zelaphelia." She finally mumbled._

"_Zelaphelia…" he repeated. It took him a moment to continue on, "Where are you from?"_

"_Um…I…uh…I'm from a city nearby…I'm…nomadic…But…who are you?"_

_He backed away, avoiding eye-contact with her. "Um…My name is Cesaro. I'm from here, but…what are you doing here?"_

_It took Zela just a few moments to answer. She was in shock, and was not able to get out of it. "Uh…no…I don't. I've b-been on my own for months."_

"_Don't you have anyone with you……or a family to go to?"_

"_I have a family…but I can't go to them.. I…um…I have to stay away……just…uh… to relieve some family tension…"_

"_Well…do you need someplace to stay?"_

"_Uh…well, I do, but...I don't think it would be right to-" _

"_It's no trouble, really. I can help you. My mate and I live here. We can take you in, if you'd like…. But...just to warn you, you shouldn't be wandering this town alone. It's not safe here."Zela could see Cesaro tremble when uttering his last sentence._

"_Okay, I'll remember that…and…yes…It would be good to find a place to stay, thank you."_

_Cesaro nodded once, and then flicked his tale, gesturing Zelaphelia to follow him. She hesitated for a brief moment, but then, considering the fact that she had no where else to go at the moment, she gingerly trudged several steps behind the mysterious feline. The two didn't speak to each other afterwards. He didn't ask her any questions. In fact, the jet-black tom was as silent as his killing. He was so quick and violent, but it surprised her how gentle Cesaro was when they spoke. He probably thought she was just a lost kitten needing a place to stay. If only he knew that she was far from kittenhood._

_The walk was long and precarious. Zela was surprised that Cesaro was so welcoming, without knowing anything about her or where she came from. Of course, she was also having her suspicions about him. Perhaps, he was untrustworthy. This thought hadn't occurred to her until they were well on there way through the obscene town. At first, Zelaphelia wanted to stop and tell him she wouldn't need any shelter, but where else would she go? She didn't want to go back to the Junkyard. Not yet anyways. There was still time left to travel, but what else was she going to do if not stay anyplace that would take her in? But the gold-red queen was still having second thoughts about accepting Cesaro's help. She paused at slight hesitance. Zela undeniably had trust issues with complete strangers and she knew that her suspicion was stronger than her valor. Sighing reluctantly, she stopped, and was about to tell the jet-black tom of her doubt, but to her surprise, he paused, and turned around to face her. "We're here." He said emphatically._

_Zelaphelia's head lifted as if confounded. Cesaro turned his head to his right, pointing into an alley. Zela's whole body stiffened, unsure where to go, but before she could make any moves, the tom languidly walked into the alleyway. "Wynestelle!" he started calling repetitively. All too curious with the name Cesaro was calling, Zela tentatively followed him._

_Looking around at the scene, the golden-red female concluded that it was tenebrous. The alley was a short dead-end. There was rot and molding along the sides of the two buildings that made the two parallel walls of the alley. They stopped at a wall. There was an eerie dumpster that was in worse condition than the sides of the buildings. There were a few trash-heaps of rotting food, old recyclables, and just about anything injurious to health all around. The golden-red queen scowled at the disgusting place._

"_Wynestelle!" Cesaro called out again. Zela's head turned toward him, snapping back into reality._

"_What is it?" an unfamiliar voice called in response. The golden-red female's ears perked up in surprise. She wandered closer into the alley, standing anxiously behind Cesaro. She peered over his shoulder to see a medium sized white queen with curious glowing blue eyes. Her thin face was expressionless as she walked towards her mate anxiously. _

"_Hello dear." Cesaro said._

_The white queen didn't respond to her mate's greeting. She quietly stared at the young nervous queen behind him. "Cesaro, who is this?"The queen called._

"_Wyne, this is Zelaphelia," the jet-black tom answered quietly; "She was being attacked by a one of those street mutts. She needs a place to stay."_

_The white queen didn't keep her eyes off of Zela. Her eyes were pondering and curious which made the golden-red female uncomfortable. Wynestelle walked presumptuously towards Zelaphelia. They locked eyes for the briefest of moments, but then the white queen drew back, and looked over at Cesaro. "Why did you offer to let her stay here?" _

"_She doesn't have anywhere else to go. You know it's not safe for anyone to be wandering the streets of this town alone. Wyne, just do it out of the goodness of your heart."_

"_Well, I would if I knew her at all, but I don't. How often are you going to bring complete strangers into our home?"_

"_I just thought that-"_

"_You always think that what you're doing is right, but do you really think this is a good idea?" _

_Zela loved how the two were arguing about her as if she wasn't even there. "Um, excuse me," the golden-red queen interrupted. The two heads shot a look at her as if to say, 'stay out of it.' She discarded their ugly expressions. "I have something to say: I know that you don't know me, and I'm a bit unsure about accepting help from strangers myself, because I have also have issues in trusting other cats, and if you two think that it would be better for the both of us if I didn't stay, then I will leave this town. But I promise you, I won't cause any harm to either of you, if you do the same for me. So……I guess, I can go now, if you want."_

_Zelaphelia turned around, ready to leave the two for good. She half-expected Cesaro to try to stop her as she started to walk away, but to her disbelief, it was Wynestelle's light feminine voice stopped her instead. "Wait Zelaphelia," The white queen called._

_Zela turned her head over her shoulder and looked back at Wynestelle. Her eyes were very much blank, but the golden-red female knew that she had seen a glimmer of interest. "Um…Why don't you stay for a little while longer? You should tell us more about yourself."_

_Zela finally could see that they had both reached a level of comprehension. Something told her that Wyne could understand everything that she went through. Cesaro smiled gently at the two females. His face read complete relief. So, with little hesitation, Zelaphelia turned around and walked up to the two elated mates, gladly escorting the young queen into their home._

_^~*~^_

The days grew into weeks, the weeks into months, and before Zela knew it, summer was already half-way over. Wynestelle and Cesaro became more acquainted with her and were more accustomed to having her around. Their home, however, still had the worst impression. So, through the time she was living in that alley, she helped the two felines to improve their living condition. Cesaro started hunting outside of the town, and Wynestelle removed all junk that was deleterious to all three of them. The lifestyle started to become regular routine to Zelaphelia, and surprisingly, she was happier with them. They were like parental figures to her. Even though they lived in the most atrocious town in the country, and were basically starving from lack of prey, they had stayed together, and were just blissful.

The golden-red queen envied how happy they could be. The Junkyard hadn't been so bad, but no one there seemed to be as content as Wynestelle and Cesaro. She was even surprised at herself for making a big deal about it. However, it did feel like, for the time being, that she was at peace. Zela hadn't experienced that feeling for years. Not since she was a kitten. The young queen hadn't even remembered how it felt to be away from trouble and conflict, but now she knew, and she wished she could keep that feeling. Now it was summer. The golden sun was bright and beautiful, and the weather was cool. There was a light breeze that touched Zela sweetly on her face and then whistled past her. It winnowed the green grass softly. The glow of sunlight silvered everything that it touched. It made Zela smile. The day couldn't have been more beautiful, even with the view of Kingsten in front of her. As she entered into the caliginous town, Zela started sprinting through the dark streets and sullen buildings, rushing to get back to the alleyway. It was probably the safest place in the town, which wasn't saying much. The golden-red female detested feeling so unsafe and fearful where she lived. Everyday it felt as if a henchcat was glaring from a dark corner of every alley and building. She never pictured her father, Macavity, like that though. _He _was always levitating above her. His intense glare was always burning right on her, as if ready to attack, but every time she looked up, he wasn't there.

Every time that happened when she was alone, she could barely breathe. There was always an exhilarating feeling that came with that fear. Zela didn't know if she hated or loved it. But she shook off the feeling, and continued on her hurried route. She finally got to the same filthy street and found the only two buildings with moldy wooden sidings. She peered into the dark alley with several trash-heaps still very odorous, but at the same time, contained better. Zela paused and sighed happily at the morbid alleyway. For some reason, she still loved the fact that it was a horrid place to live, and she wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

She quietly walked in, still carrying her kills from her hunt. The golden-red queen pushed the dead prey out of her mouth with her tongue and on to the ground, "Wyne!" she called out hoarsely, coughing up a few magpie feathers, "Wyne, I'm back!"

She listened intently for a response, but received none. She wrinkled her brow and walked closer into the alleyway.  
"Wyne, where are you?" she shouted. Suddenly, as Zela got closer to the Dumpster, she started to hear faint whimpers and sobs coming from inside of it. The golden-red female's brow furrowed as she grunted confoundedly. "Wyne, are you here!?" The sobs grew louder.

Zela leaped onto the edge of the dumpster, and looked down while balancing herself. Her eyes widened at the somber sight of her friend lying in a fetal position in a corner of trash. She was shaking quietly and sucked in a one breath of air at a time. Zela quickly jumped inside and paced over a few plastic trash bags to the white queen, "Wyne, are you okay?!" she shouted concernedly, "What happened?!"

"N-nothing Zel……I…" Wynestelle broke into a sob once more, "I-I'm alright, b-but I……just f-found out something…terrible!"

The golden-red queen came closer to Wyne, "What is it? What's wrong?"

"I'm……I'm pregnant." The word made the white cat curl up even tighter in her ball of sorrow.

Zela sat there, slightly confused. "Well Wyne, I don't see how that's a bad thing. Cesaro will be so happy when he hears. Where is he anyway?"

"I told him to hunt longer for food..."

"Well, he'll be ecstatic when you tell him-"

"NO!" the white queen suddenly shouted. Her head popped up as she stared at the young female. Her glossy blue eyes had a flash of rage that quickly turned back into panic, "He can't know!" Wyne yelled sharply, "Cesaro hates when I even mention the _word_ kittens. He'll hate me for sure if I told him."

Zela shook her friend as she precariously wrapped her paw around her friend's shoulder, "Don't be ridiculous Wyne. He might be anxious at first, but he won't hate you. You're his mate! Besides, he has a right to know. They _are _his kits."

"I know that…b-but more kittens mean more food, which means more hunting, which will put both of us in danger. We were just fine when it was just the two of us, but then you came, and since you were old enough to hunt for yourself, we never worried, but now there are going to be several more mouths to feed. How will we support that many!? I just- I can't…ah!" She broke back into sobs. Zela wrapped her arms around her friend.

She let out a quiet sigh. Wyne was like a second mother to her, and it was almost sad to see her act more like the child than the parent. "Listen, where I came from, the queens didn't have more than three or four at a time. You probably won't have that many, and besides, kittens usually learn how to hunt for themselves the first few months in their lives. I promise you Wyne, this isn't that bad. There are worse things, and you can't hide this from Cesaro! You need to face this head-on, or this is all going to blow up in you face."

The white queen looked up at Zelaphelia. Her sky-blue eyes glimmered lugubriously as she blinked away a few tears. The white queen opened her mouth to speak, as if getting ready to make an argument, but she paused at slight hesitance. She sighed once and looked up at the golden-red female, and blinked a few times at her. "You're right Zela. There's absolutely no way I could hide this from him. The second he gets here, I'll tell him."

Zela nodded once and smiled encouragingly. She took pride in a friend that had so much courage at her present situation. It just reminded her of what had happened almost a year ago, and how it had gotten her to where she was today. She pondered how life might be different in the Junkyard since she left. The golden-red queen never thought things really would change though. The Junkyard usually always remained the same, but that's one reason why she loved them all. She wished she didn't have to leave them, but there was still something in her that knew it needed to be done, and no matter how much she missed the Jellicles, or the city, Zela couldn't go back. Not yet.

The two queens decided to wait for Cesaro and greet him with the news of Wyne's pregnancy. They stayed outside of the dumpster, waiting for the sunlight to fade from the walls of the alleyway. It wasn't long until the silence was suddenly broken, and Zelaphelia could hear a faint padding of footsteps and a familiar musky scent of the jet-black tom. Wyne stood up. Her eyes were now bright and full of life. Her hopes seemed higher than the sky and the confident look on the face gave Zela a warm feeling and made her think that the mates were going to sort this mess out before it even happened. "He's coming!" The white queen squealed excitedly. Zela stood up next to her friend. Suddenly, an aghast-looking Cesaro scampered across the sidewalk and sprinted on to the blacktop. His screaming yellow eyes dashed around the alley and finally set on the two queens.

The golden-red female raised an eyebrow at him, while Wynestelle came one step closer, "Cesaro…?" she said gingerly, "What's-"

The jet-black tom didn't let her finish, "BOTH OF YOU GET IN THE DUMPSTER NOW!" he screamed. The two females were so startled that they quickly did as he said without question. Zela's heart was pumping rapidly. She wasn't sure what was going on, but as soon as she jumped in the cramped dumpster, Cesaro and Wynestelle immediately followed. Zelaphelia's eyes sharply hit the jet-black tom, "Cesaro, what the hell is going on?!" she screamed.

Cesaro backed into a corner, "There's a dog after us. A mean one too. He caught my scent and started chasing me down the street for five blocks. I'm sorry that I led him here, but I……I panicked!" He broke-down onto the floor of the trash heaps and expressed complete devastation. But before Wynestelle could go and comfort him, the dumpster suddenly quaked. The golden-red queen's heart stopped for a brief moment, thinking that it was her imagination, but the second she couldn't feel the shaking, it instantly started again. Wyne screamed as it rumbled. Zelaphelia heard a rough snarl outside. Obviously, this dog was strong, and possibly mad. The golden-red queen let out an exasperated sigh and looked over at Wyne and Cesaro, both trembling out of their furs. "I'm going to go out." Zela said firmly.

The mates stared at her as if she was crazy, "Are you nuts?!" the white queen panted, "That...thing is going to tear you apart!"

"It will be better for all of us if I just went." Cesaro murmured somberly. He stood up and was ready to jump out, but Zela moved in front of him, "No Saro. You can't now."

The jet-black tom furrowed his brow, "What are you talking about? Yes I can-"

Zelaphelia shook her head, "No, Cesaro, you have kittens on the way. You can't do this, for their sake."

"What?!" he screeched. His eyes sharply turned to Wynestelle. She was staring down at her paws. Zela sighed once and looked at him, "Now you know." She said.

The white queen paused, "I was going to tell you Saro...once you got back…but I was so afraid. That's why I asked you to hunt longer. I was scared to tell you…I'm sorry that I did that, and I won't blame you if you don't want to-"

Cesaro sat there with a dumfounded expression, "What do mean Wyne? I'm not mad at you! I'm glad, and Wyne…I'm scared too, but that's what kittens do. It's a scary thing in a good way.

The white queen smiled and came closer to her mate, "Oh, Saro! I'm so-"

Suddenly, another crash hit the wall of the dumpster. Zela wobbled a little, but she quickly caught herself, "Um…Wyne, Saro, I know this is a really sentimental moment for you two, but we kind of have a bigger situation at hand!"

The two mates clung to each other, "She's right Cesaro." The white queen whispered, "What are we going to do?"

Before the jet-black tom could answer, Zelaphelia suddenly leaped onto the edge of the Dumpster, and stared down at the angry mutt glaring at her dementedly. She heard the panicked screams of Cesaro and Wynestelle shouting her name and telling her to get back down. They were definitely ready for parenthood, but she didn't want either of them harmed. This was the only thing she could do to repay them for everything that they did. With much hesitance, she abruptly growling at the old Pollicle dog, and lunged at it. The mutt, of course, immediately backed away at the crazy ball of fur slashing at its face. It came back with merely a short scratch on the end of its nose. Zela landed on her feet staring at the dog timorously. Her only reaction was to just attack it again. The golden-red female extended her claws and leaped at the mutt. However, the thing proved to be stronger than she thought, even with her speed. It wasn't until that point that Zela realized she had slowed down. She hadn't tried using any of her mystic powers since winter. Zelaphelia felt completely winded.

Suddenly, a large painful sting started to crush her arm. She saw the Pollicle gnashing her paw and tossing her around like a ragdoll. The young queen screamed in agony, and before she knew it, the bloodthirsty dog released its teeth and let her fly up in the air. Zela immediately hit the wall and felt a sickening crunch. When she was strong enough to open her eyes, the golden-red queen found out that the brick wall had a large deep crack in it. Zela didn't even feel pain, except on her arm. She looked over at the dog who she thought was going to attack her again, but then shockingly, Cesaro suddenly jumped out of the dumpster with Wynestelle staring down at him, horrified. The jet-black tom was fast, but his match didn't last long. The dog was already trying to tear him apart. Before Zela could even think, she jumped to her feet, finally found the genetic speed given to her at birth, and used it. Quick as lightning, Zela flashed over to the mutt and used brute strength to trip over its bad leg. She watched it instantly fall and loosen his jaw on Cesaro. The jet-black tom ran out of harms way, and into Wynestelle's arms that had gotten down from the view of the dumpster. Zela narrowed her dilated eyes at the ugly dog, and quickly slashed his throat open. Blood poured out and the mad mutt went silent, and lifelessly looked at nothing.

The golden-red queen looked up at the two cats blankly staring at her as if in shock. Of course, they must have never seen a mystic feline in action. Zela looked down at her paws. They were bloody and grisly, but she didn't care. She had just exposed her darker side to two innocent mates, and her paws should be the least of her problems. She frowned at them guiltily, "Um…Wynestelle, Cesaro…I haven't told you everything that I should have. In fact, most everything that I've told you about myself…has been a lie."

Cesaro was suddenly able to get out of his gaze, "I-I don't understand Zela," he murmured, "What are you talking about?"

"You see… my father and I…have a difficult relationship. He has…these powers, that I genetically inherited, which is what you two have just witnessed. He was after revenge for a tribe, called the Jellicles. Both of my parents were members of that tribe, but then my father was banished, and he had raped my mother after she left him. You might know his name, Macavity."

Wynestelle gasped, "…Macavity? Y-you mean…the Napoleon of Crime… we've heard of him…The rumors are unbelievable. You mean that…you're his _daughter_?"

Zela sighed once, "Yes…and I had left his services and joined the tribe, and he's been after me ever since. I thought that if I stayed with the Jellicles, he might try to harm them, so I left, and became nomadic."

"He has contacts here." Cesaro added randomly, "We thought…they were part of his heisting operations…but maybe…do you think maybe he's actually-"

"After me?" Zela interrupted, "Quite possibly." The golden-red female was about to continue her explanation, until something on the dead Pollicle corpse caught her eye. It was a small red scar on its side, shaped as an "M". Zela gasped, as she recognized the sign. It was like a symbol of death to her. "He is after me again." She whispered. Cesaro and Wynestelle caught what she was staring at. Wyne gasped and held her paw to her mouth, preventing a scream.

"I shouldn't have come here." Zela murmured. She looked up at the horrified mates, "I'm sorry that I did this to you two. I should have told you everything. Rest assured, I am nothing like Macavity, but I can tell that I'm putting you both in danger by staying here."

"Zela, what are you saying?" Wyne asked, devasted

"I'm going to leave Kingsten…maybe go back home. I think it's time I finally saw them again. It's been a long time…"

Cesaro stepped forward, "Zela, no. You don't have to-"

"Yes I do Saro." The golden-red queen insisted, "I need to…"

Wynestelle walked over to Zela and looked at her, teary-eyed. "You've been like a daughter to me Zela…How could I ever…" the white queen suddenly burst into tears and wrapped Zelaphelia in her arms. The golden-red female had absolutely no words of comfort.

"Are you sure there's nothing we can do to convince you to stay?" the jet-black tom asked hopefully.

Zela laughed, "No Saro, I'm sorry, but I have to do this."

"We'll miss you Zel…" Wyne added through her sobs.

"I will too…but you two have kittens coming, so you need to forget about me and focus on them."

"We'll never forget you Zela." Saro said firmly.

"And I you. Thank you for everything, both of you."

The golden-red female gave the two felines a final embrace, and a small smile. She fought a tear back in her eye, and reluctantly started to walk away from the alleyway. Now, the home she had known for so long was another memory, and all of the cats that came with it. Zelaphelia looked forward to face her, even though she feared what was ahead. There was no doubt that Macavity was near, but whatever happened she felt ready…


	2. Silent Promises

_The golden-red female gave the two felines a final embrace, and a small smile. She fought a tear back in her eye, and reluctantly started to walk away from the alleyway. Now, the home she had known for so long was another memory, and all of the cats that came with it. Zelaphelia looked forward to face the dark night, even though she feared what was ahead. There was no doubt that Macavity was near, but whatever happened she felt ready…_

~^..^~

Munkustrap stretched his jaw out in a yawn as he serenely watched an aura of morning colors rise up beyond the horizon. The reflection of orange and purple touched the stratus clouds that were languidly moving across the dawning sky. Munk's eyes glowed in adoration. He sat on top of the iron fence placed as the entrance of the Junkyard. He and Alonzo had volunteered on guard duty that night, and as he watched the sunrise, the silver tabby came to realize that their task was close to over. He blinked a few times tiredly, already half-asleep. It was hard to stay up for hours on end until the dawn, but it at least gave him eight hours of uninterrupted sleep. He sullenly rubbed his eyelids. As months passed, these nights had gotten longer and harder to bare for everyone, and not just for lack of sleep itself, but because the perils of the city had become more treacherous.

It was for several more reasons, Munkustrap couldn't even go through in his mind, why the tribe had become more aware of their dangerous surroundings and he had to become more careful. The risks were higher than the silver tabby had ever seen them, but being the Jellicle Protector, and soon the next leader, he couldn't show the smallest amount of fear, even if it was haunting him every night.

"Munk?"

Munkustrap suddenly phased out of his own mental review and turned around. Alonzo was staring at him with a quizzical expression. The silver-black tom, yawned once more, and jumped off the fence to meet his second-in-command.

"What is it Alonzo?" Munkustrap asked listlessly.

The black-white tom snorted at the sight of his friend, "Well, it's almost sunrise, and you look you could fall over any moment now. Perhaps it would be a good idea to go back into the Junkyard before we both collapse."

Munkustrap groaned tiredly. He didn't feel like debating any ethical duties as guards with Alonzo, so he decided that it was close enough to sunrise that the two of them could leave their posts. With a silent and exasperated disposition, Munkustrap leaped off the fence and started walking with his friend back into their home, but not before catching an amused grin creep onto Alonzo's face. The two toms followed a long dirt trail that ran through what seemed like a mile of garbage heaps that hadn't even been touched by sunlight. Since spring, it felt like the Junkyard was getting bigger, and becoming more like a maze than home, but Munkustrap didn't care that much.

Suddenly, Alonzo broke the silence. "Hey, are you alright?" he asked curiously.

The silver tabby phased away from his absentmindedness, "Uh, yeah. I'm okay. Why do you ask?"

The black and white tom shrugged, "No reason in particular. It's just…well, you've seem…exhausted lately, and not just because we're on guard duty, but…well _you_ just seem tired."

Munkustrap snorted, "Tired? Sure I've slowed down a bit, but I haven't…I haven't-" he broke off his sentence in a yawn.

"Yeah, you haven't been tired at all." Alonzo commented sarcastically.

The silver tabby playfully bumped into his friend and chuckled, "Alright, alright…"-he sighed- "I guess it's just age…Honestly, for awhile now, I've felt as old as Gus."

"Well, you can't blame yourself on that one. You've been working yourself to death! Not to mention…um……well, ever since Deuteronomy left last winter you've…well, you haven't been yourself. You've just been more…distant. You've been working so hard, I was surprised that I even got to talk to you this week, you know?"

Munkustrap nodded his head admittedly. He wasn't going to argue the point that he had been stressed since his father left the Junkyard. It made the silver tabby feel more responsible for the tribe than ever, "I guess I can't debate that. I'll admit, I've been pretty busy, but… I don't know. It's just stress I think…or age."

Alonzo rolled his eyes, "Again with the age? Don't go through a crazy mid-life crisis on me Munk, 'cause I know I'll just get sucked into it too."

"Ah, don't say that Lonz. Once you're old, then that means I'm _really_ old." Munk's eyes went wide in disbelief of the words coming out of his mouth. Even thinking of age made the silver tabby dread the day he would be considered elderly. The two friends chuckled though. It was becoming a little joke between the two of them, but just enough where Munkustrap would be dead serious on the subject to himself.

"Your not old Munk," Alonzo insisted, "Everything around us is just getting older."

"Yeah," the silver tabby mumbled. He sighed, "Times are changing aren't they?"

Alonzo nodded agreeably, "No lies there…… Say, how is Demeter nowadays?"

"Alright, I suppose, but she's been better…It's a bit depressing, but I've barely seen her smile once since……well, since Zelaphelia left."

The black and white tom quivered a little. He hadn't completely gotten over his little quarrel with Zela the last time he saw her, or at least as far as Munkustrap knew. He seemed less sensitive talking about her though._ That_ was a bit of a relief on both their parts.

Alonzo was finally able to speak, "Yeah…she hasn't been the same has she?"

"Unfortunately, and I wish I could talk to Deme more about it. Maybe release some emotional tension she's had with herself. She's been a complete depression all year."

"And if _that's_ not bad enough, Plato goes missing."

Munkustrap paused, and shot a blank expression at his friend. He had forgotten completely about what had happened. It was about late spring when the orange-red and white tom named Plato had disappeared spontaneously. It caught the entire tribe off guard, and his mother, Jennyanydots, was just as devastated. After that, the Jellicles weren't only on the search for him, but Munkustrap had taken extra precautions to make sure that it didn't happen to anyone else. Plato had been one of the longest searches they had gone on for a long time, but the silver tabby had an exact suspicion: Macavity must have been involved. However, the Mystery Cat had been unusually quiet for some months, and Munk would have known if it was him at some point. The ginger tom had hidden his involvement well, and it certainly made Munkustrap's job of proving his guilt ten times harder. It didn't matter though. He was at least convinced that his half brother was still a prime suspect in this disappearance. Munkustrap blinked a few times, but continued on his way with Alonzo. He smiled artlessly, "Yeah, no kidding. By the by, you didn't see anything…odd on guard duty, did you?"

The black-and-white tom raised his eyebrow at his friend and snorted, "Do I ever?"

Munkustrap didn't need to reply. He already knew the answer to his own question. He chuckled for his own humor, "No, I guess not, but I just want to make sure. I don't know why, but whenever we're on duty, I'm always afraid that Macavity-"

Abruptly, the silver tabby's words were broken off when he heard a crash behind him. The two toms sharply turned their heads around as their ears went flat. Munkustrap let out a low growl as four bitter words escaped his tongue: "Speak of the devil."

The oddness about it was that the trail was completely normal. It was clean of any suspicious marks or liability to what the strange crash was. With some hesitation in his steps, Munkustrap crept forward with Alonzo only a foot behind him. He peered around a large heap of trash. Everything seemed normal around the garbage piles, but all of the sudden a faint, but strongly familiar smell infiltrated the silver tabby's nostrils and pulled on his curiosity. He stepped into the pits of the Junkyard as his eyes shifted across his surroundings. The silver and black tom still found nothing out of the ordinary. Abruptly, his entire perception changed. He spotted a dark shadow only a few feet away from him and Alonzo rustling about in the garbage. Munkustrap was taken aback, but with a sudden intrepid growl, he nudged Alonzo in his shoulder and with a nod of readiness, they both courageously sprinted in a sudden attack towards the creature.

Munkustrap extended his clause and prepared for a fight. He could feel his veins pumping with adrenaline and his eyes set on his target. With his friend next to him, the two were about to strike at the figure simultaneously, until the light hit the mysterious shadow and a sudden pang of realization hit the silver tabby. With a pause, he recognized that the figure was the golden-red queen, Zelaphelia, who was staring back at him with shock surrounding her goldenly adorned violet eyes.

He flinched back in surprise, as did Alonzo, and they both stood in perhaps the longest awkward silence ever experienced. It took a few seconds to process what had happened before the silver tabby could speak again. Munk gulped once. "Z-…Zela?" he whispered in disbelief.

She glanced a few times between the two toms, and then gave a small smile to him, "Hi Munkustrap…"

^~*~^

Zelaphelia kept looking back and forth at the two familiar toms, both wearing a shell-shocked expression. She wasn't surprised. It had been the first time they had seen her in almost a year. The young queen rose out of her stumbled position from when she had accidentally tripped over her feet in the trash. The junkyard had changed so much that she could barely find her way through the chaotic mess. Of course, she still blamed her clumsiness. Zela had admitted to herself that she was graceful and agile in battle, but just galumphed over everything else. It made her a bit nervous in front of Munkustrap and Alonzo. When looking over at them, the two toms just stared at her in complete shock. They sat in silence, while saying about a million things with their eyes.

Finally, Munkustrap leaned over to Alonzo and whispered something to him that Zela could barely hear: "Lonz, go to Demeter, tell her to come immediately…"

With a nod, the black-and-white tom rushed across the heaps of junk and disappeared over a green foyer. Zelaphelia grinned at Munkustrap, but his face shared both an expression of stone, and of complete shock. After a quiet pause, he was finally able to sputter out a few words, "Z-Zela……you're…you're back!"

She nodded a couple times and smiled, knowing this was obvious news. "Yeah…"-she sighed-"Sorry I haven't visited in awhile, but I figured it would be good if I finally came back home-"

Munkustrap grinned and snorted, "You certainly have that right!"-In a burst of happiness, the silver tabby abruptly squeezed her in an embrace-"Welcome back. Oh, you've grown so much."

The golden-red queen looked back at him and smiled warmly. "It's good to see you Munkustrap. So…how are you?"

"Me? Oh, I'm great," he said. Zela could tell by his cheesy face that he was lying, "and you?"

She sighed, "I think I've been better…" the golden-red queen's eye wandered along the garbage as the two began to walk back onto the dirt path leading further into the Junkyard. Munkustrap gave her a puzzled look, but kept his pace with hers.

His eyebrow furrowed in confusion, "Zela, what's wrong?"

Zela did not hesitate to start her story, "It started after I left the countryside during winter, and walked into a town called Kingsten…"

^~*~^

The wind hit Alonzo's face as he rushed through the familiar but utterly unknown regions of the Junkyard, but he knew perfectly well it was a cut into the center where the tribe resided. His thoughts were racing and his heart was pumping with excitement. For several months, he hadn't thought about Zelaphelia coming back, but now she had suddenly shown up as fast as year had passed. The black-white tom wasn't exactly sure if he was glad, angry, or simply confused in which emotion to choose from.

From the moment he had met her, Alonzo had a sort of sympathy and friendliness towards Zela, but then as she had continued to live in the Junkyard, and knowing that she was Macavity's blood made him think twice about his faith in her. It got worse after he had watched her kill his brother, Admetus. He now knew it was unintentional, and the golden-red female had no to the control over her actions. According psychic twins, Coricopat and Tantomile, Macavity had used his power over Zela to control what she was doing. Alonzo always had a hard time believing it, and it took an eternity to apologize for harassing her for so long. But the black-and-white tom had hopes that things would be different between the two of them. Zela had probably matured from her guilt after traveling England for almost a full year……or not. True, his suspicions were still their, but that was just the piece of doubt in his mind.

Abruptly, he found himself standing on top of a pile of neatly stacked tires arranged by size. The Junkyard was normal, as usual. The kittens would be playing around in the open area or still asleep, queens were generally around doing…well, whatever queens did, and the adult toms were either hunting or cornering one another for doing a non-masculine action, of some sort. It was a regular morning, and luckily for Alonzo, he knew exactly where he could find Demeter on such a day. Acting with informal haste, the black-and-white tom crawled down the row of tires and ran into Munkustrap and Demeter's den. It was quiet, and Alonzo was in too much of a panic to notice any of the undisturbed elements in the small space. The golden queen was in the exact same place as he had expected: lying on top of the large sewer pipe, moping in depression.

The black-white tom had suddenly slowed his pace, and casually walked in on her. She looked up with her sad green eyes and sighed, "Hi Lonz," she mumbled groggily, "what are you doing in hear so early?"

Alonzo didn't even pause to tell her his news, "Demeter, Zelaphelia's back in the Junkyard."

The golden queen's head instantly rose, and her eyes popped in complete disbelief, "What? Are you serious!?" She looked as if she had reached insanity. Alonzo thought it would be better if he backed off for his own protection.

"Yeah…" he murmured hesitantly, "Dem, we just found her roaming around in the middle of the Junkyard! I'm telling you, she's back!"

Demeter immediately jumped to her feet and hopped down to meet with him. He backed away a couple steps as she stared at him with her crazy eyes and odd smile. "Then what the hell are we standing around here for?!" The golden queen ran past him and out of the den. She buzzed around the unexpected tribe members as they confusedly gazed at her once she passed them. Without a second thought, Alonzo quickly followed her, knowing well that maternal instinct wasn't going to lead her to Zela. It would probably just get her lost…

^~*~^

The dirt trail seemed to grow longer as Munkustrap walked with Zelaphelia while listening to her story. He was amazed. Believing what the golden-red female had gone through seemed almost impossible. But nothing shocked him more than when she told him about the Pollicle with the red "M" scar on his neck. Munkustrap knew that emblem better than anyone. It meant that the dog was with Macavity.

He wondered why the ginger tom would go all the way to Kingsten just to track down Zela, but then he remembered that Macavity had contacts all over the country. It was no wonder he found her. Now, hopefully, the route Zela had taken would confuse him enough to get him off her trail for awhile. The golden-red queen breathed easily while explaining all that had happened, and was unusually calm with the whole thing.

"I'll admit that I expected this." She said, "I knew he would be after me when I came back, but now… Munk…… I'm afraid. I don't know what I'm going to do. If Macavity has been following me the entire time, than I could be putting the whole tribe endanger again-"

The silver tabby shook his head, "No, Zela. You said so yourself, you hid your tracks so he couldn't follow you back. Something tells me he won't be back for awhile."

"But Munk, whoever has been following me was probably one of his contacts, not just Macavity. I figured out that he has spies everywhere! He could have killed me without even leaving the city. And if he still is here, than he can easily-"

"Rubbish," the silver tabby said simply, "Zela, if he wanted to find you, he would have already. You don't need to worry, at least not now. I just want you to stay calm, and not get too antsy. Besides, you haven't seen the tribe in months. Your mother's going to be thrilled to see you."

The golden-red queen didn't say anything for a short time. She looked worried, almost like her mother. Munkustrap thought it was very ironic to see that Demeter and Zelaphelia both had such a skittish behavior. Zela finally looked at him, "Munk, I can't tell her what happened, at least not about the Pollicle."

The silver tabby's eyebrow furrowed, "Zela, you can't keep something like that from your mother! She needs to know-"

"She needs to know what? That Macavity has been tracking me down? That he's after me again? Do you really think I should give her a panic attack?"

Munk shook his head, "Zela, think about what you're saying to yourself. If Macavity_ is_ after you-"

"-And he is."

The silver tabby grunted, "Then why would you keep your mother from knowing? It's not right to lie to her."

"I don't have a choice! I care about my mother too much to worry her. If rusticating taught me anything it's that I should follow what my instincts tell me. Please Munk promise me you won't say anything. I… I'll tell her when she's ready."

Munkustrap narrowed his eyes on his step-daughter, "You mean when _you'_reready?"

Zela didn't respond to his rhetorical question. She faced the dirt and walked on. Her face expressed a look of unadulterated confusion and pain, as if she was facing an unknown death. The young queen looked up at him once more, "Just please promise me-"

Suddenly, an elated cry was heard only feet away from the two Jellicles like the end of a victorious battle, "Zela!" Munkustrap turned his head sharply, and smiled to see Demeter excited face gazing at her daughter. That was the first time he had seen her smile since Zelaphelia left the Junkyard.  
When Munkustrap looked back at Zela, her face matched her mother's perfectly. "Mother…" she whispered. Without anything to say to the silver tabby, Zela quickly sprang into Demeter's arms. They embraced so emphatically that Munkustrap could have shed a tear. The golden queen's muffled voice started crying in her daughter's fur, "I've missed you so much…"

"I've missed you too." Zela replied looking up at her mother. The two of them stayed silent, but just continued to hold each other. The silver tabby grinned at the nostalgic scene. He didn't think he could have seen a more heartwarming reunion. Suddenly, Alonzo popped up behind Demeter and Zelaphelia. He smiled once at them, but then saw Munkustrap and instantly jumped up to him. As the two queens started walking along the dirt trail together, the silver tabby and his friend wandered behind them.

"I see that Demeter found her way here."

Munkustrap nodded flatly, "Yup."

Alonzo looked at his friend quizzically, "And Zela told you about everything I'm guessing?"

"Yup."

The black and white tom blinked, "So what did she say?"

The silver tabby didn't know how to answer his friend. The golden-red queen made it clear that she didn't want anyone knowing about what happened. He figured that maybe it was right if Zela took care of this problem herself. So very silently, he promised her that he'd respect her wishes. "Not much." He mumbled, "It wasn't anything important."

^~*~^

The morning sun sat low in the sky as a tired curious cat arose from his newly acquired den. He rustled his golden mane and yawned tiredly while grooming his black fur. He usually didn't awaken to morning, like the rest of the tribe did, but a dream-or nightmare rather-had shaken his psyche to consciousness. Tugger could never forget the vision of it.

_The Rum Tum Tugger was wandering around aimlessly in the dark. No one was with him, and it felt like he was going to nowhere. He was overcome by confusion of where he was. His cold paws shook as he kept his eyes wide in the night .Suddenly a bright red light blinded the leopard-spotted tom, and forced him to look away. It took him a short time for his eyes to finally adjust to the light. Suddenly, a soft voice called his name, "Tugger…?" it said sweetly._

_The Curious Cat's eyes opened wide and shifted around. He looked for the source of the familiar voice, but found none, and to make matters worse, he discovered his lips were paralyzed. Suddenly, the red light morphed into a strange figure. Tugger narrowed his eyes to look closer, and to his amazement, he recognized the enigmatic blur as the golden-red female, Zelaphelia.. He gasped, trying to find words to shout, but realized again that it was becoming difficult to even let out a breath. Maybe it was because he was in front of Zela._

_She came closer to him, the mature, serene queen-kit, smiling with her lovely goddess-like eyes of fuschia and lavender, edged with shimmering golden swirls surrounding her narrowed pupils. Her glistening black fur on her back was scratched with red stripes like bloody scars. The Curious Cat thought his eyes would burn from staring at such a divine beauty. She smiled at him and blinked. He returned the enraptured gaze, and realized they were only inches from each other. Tugger wanted to speak to her in his charming voice and grin with his devil-grin. What surprised him was that he couldn't. He could only be Tugger to Zela, not the Curious Cat. There was always something about the way she looked at him that made him melt into something beyond his usual persona. He reached his paw out to touch her beautiful golden face, to see if she was actually real, and she was about to do the same…_

_Suddenly Tugger felt the ground beneath him start to quake. Both felines fell from their balance and were forced to look up to the sky. Red clouds started swirling above Tugger's head and the ground suddenly cracked open and separated them. The leopard-spotted tom looked over at Zela. Her face was horrified as she tried reaching out for him. Before he could try to grasp her paw, a giant black claw wrapped around the petrified queen and tightened its hold on her in an enormous red fist. When Tugger looked up, he saw that the paw belonged to the enlarged face of Macavity. The ginger tom stared at him with his piercing yellow eyes and malicious tooth grin. With a rush of bravery, the curious cat was about to run straight into the giant Macavity and save his beloved friend, like the climax of a story, but the second he moved forward, he fell into the dark abyss of the cracked earth. The last thing he saw was Macavity cackling wickedly and Zela sputtering tears and reaching her paw out to him. When her face disappeared, he screamed._

Tugger was having that dream every night for two weeks, and always woke up in a cold sweat, unable to sleep afterwards. He had gotten used to it after the first week, but he still couldn't get over that he was dreaming about Zelaphelia. She was all he could think about since she left the tribe. He had waited patiently and eagerly for her to come back, but now he was starting to lose hope, and now this dream he was having of her was making him feel almost desperate. The Curious Cat hadn't told anyone about this dream, despite the fact it started to haunt his damaged psyche. He would feel less masculine expressing emotion so openly like that if he did. So, as a result, Tugger dwelled quietly in his den and stayed very aloof from the tribe.

This was the first time he had come out of his den in week. The queens, of course, were constantly coming in and asking what was wrong. It was extremely annoying seeing them come in and try to council him uninvited. What was wrong with queens? Couldn't they tell that when toms want to be alone, they should be left alone? _Apparently not…_ the leopard spotted tom thought to himself groggily. Several queens had come in, including the adolescents, Electra, Jemima, and Etcetera. They were completely confused on why he was acting this way. Every time they asked, he told them to go away. All three of them had given up after the first few attempts. Then of course his ex-mate, Bombalurina had tried consoling him as well. Her pursuit had been just as affective as the adolescents'. Even some of the older queens tried to comfort him as well. Jennyanydots and Jellyorum tried offering him food, as if vermin wasn't wandering around his den anyways. And so it would go on, and it wasn't even the queens that came: Cassandra, Alonzo, the psycho twins, Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer, Victoria, Misto, heck, even Munkustrap came in once and awhile. It drove him nuts. Would no one just leave him?

"Tugger?"

Tugger suddenly lost his train of thought from the sound of his name. He saw Bombalurina grinning at him outside of the entrance of again. _Not again…_ the leopard-spotted tom thought.

"What do you want Bomba?" he asked sorely, glaring at the red queen.

She frowned at him and sauntered gracefully into his den, "No need to get upset Tugs. I was just seeing if you were up."

"Well, as you can tell, I am so if you could go get your uppity little ass out of my den, and give me a few moments peace from your shrill voice, that would be just relieving…" Tugger nestled his paws and legs under his body and sat waiting for Bomba to leave. The red female glared at him for a few seconds, but she quickly shrugged off his antagonism and turned around, "Have a good day you pretentious grump."

Tugger hit his hand to his chest and grimaced sarcastically, "Owe. That just hurt Bomba."

The red queen sighed and ran out of the den. With a smile of relief, Tugger laid his head on his paws and closed his eyes restfully, thinking of maybe getting just an hour of sleep. He felt his peaceful self start to doze off……until Bombalurina's voice entered his den again: "Oh, yeah, I forgot that I wanted to tell you something." She said matter-of-factly.

Tugger's face formed a glare as he peeked out of one eye to see the recalcitrant queen. "What?" he asked agitatedly.

"Zelaphelia's back."

A shocking realization came back to Tugger at the remembrance of the name. His head popped up and stared at the entry way of his den to question Bombalurina, but the scarlet queen was already gone. Without thinking, Tugger jumped to his feet and dashed out of his den… _  
_


	3. Familar Faces

_**A/N: Hey everyone. Forgive me for my lack of updates. I actually have been VERY busy. SO thanks for being so patient with my immovable writer's block!**_

"_Zelaphelia's back."_

_A shocking realization came back to Tugger at the remembrance of the name. His head popped up and stared at the entry way of his den to question Bombalurina, but the scarlet queen was already gone. Without thinking, Tugger jumped to his feet and dashed out of his den…_

~^..^~

The slowly rising sun touched the Junkyard as morning began to enter into the day. Demeter and Zelaphelia walked along the dirt trail together in harmonious cheer. A ray of light hit the golden queen's face passing each silhouette of junk heaps. Her mother started jabbering on of the on-goings in the Junkyard, explaining all that had happened after she left. Zela soon realized that she missed an awful lot.

The first thing she learned was of Old Deuteronomy leaving the Junkyard yet again. That was a surprise. According to Demeter, he left during the middle of winter with less than a few words of farewell to the tribe, and absolutely no explanation for his parting. In Zela's mind, everyone was starting to think the Jellicle Leader was having a ponderous breakdown. Through out all of his insanities, she thought Deuteronomy was the sanest cat she knew. The golden-red female wished she could have been there to say good bye, but the dust-grey tom always had ways of coming back at the most horrendous times of need, even if it meant facing the worst.

Other than this, life in the Junkyard hadn't been so different from when she left. Of course, the kittens had changed. They were no longer considered kittens, but right in between kittenhood and a newly adulthood; adolescence. It was interesting to hear this. Zela had been so used to seeing the faces of her young friends, and it was hard to think of them now grown up after such a time. She couldn't even picture their faces. "Oh yes," Demeter interjected on the golden-red queen's thoughts, "Munkustrap said if…if you were to come back he would officially make you a junkyard queen. Zela, you've grown into such a beautiful young feline. You've gotten bigger from when last I saw you, and your face…you look like your aunt Bomba."

Zela blushed under her fur at the compliment, "Thank you mum. How is Bombalurina anyway?"

The golden queen shrugged and tossed her head from side to side, "She's alright, I guess. I haven't checked-up on her lately though… I haven't been the same without my full family here."

The young Jellicle female smiled at Demeter. The golden queen seemed completely overjoyed at the mere sight of her daughter. Zela liked that it made her happy. If only she could do that everyday. The golden-red female wished she could just stay with the tribe and ease her mother's worry, but Macavity became an obstacle for any security of that dream. Her father was the reason she feared staying in the city. He was everywhere, watching her every move, toying with her mind like a victimized mouse about to die, wanting one thing: more. He would never be happy with anything. Macavity would want more of everything he had. More power, more wealth, more pleasures, more revenge … more of her. This didn't sit well in Zela's stomach. She couldn't even think of her father's name and stay serene.

Zela shook off these dreadful pessimistic thoughts. Macavity was the last thing she wanted to worry about whilst she was back at the Junkyard. She then listened to Demeter rambles on the most current news that she knew of. The golden-red queen found it completely engrossing. Apparently the tribe was doing well, as Demeter had said. Zela thought by her expression that she was lying, but let go of the suspicion. Life seemed to be good in the Junkyard, until she heard something that tugged on her curiosity and part of her anxiety. Plato had gone missing.

This was probably the most mysterious disappearance she had heard. One day in late spring, Plato had left the Junkyard less than an hour after sunset, and then didn't come back. They had been searching for him all season, but with no success. One name immediately came to Zela's mind: Macavity. There was no question of it.

"It must have been Macavity." The young queen declared to her mother.

Demeter shook her head, "That was our first suspicion. But three days into the search we got as far as we could into the west Warehouse property, and found absolutely no traces, and Munkustrap, Mungojerrie, and Skimbleshanks are skilled trackers."

"Well, did you actually get_ inside_ the Warehouse?" Zela inquired.

Her mother didn't answer. She just stopped with her paws sunk in the dirt. Her face was made of complete stone as the space between her eyes formed a crinkle and her mouth dropped to a dead-serious frown. "We never got in, but from everywhere else, we couldn't find anything worth looking at. That doesn't mean Macavity's still not a feline of interest."

Zela didn't say anything back. She just kept walking forward, frustrated by the tribes' lack of investigative persistency. She knew it wasn't right to judge any of them, especially Munkustrap, but her anger for Macavity and sympathy for Plato kept her emotions reeled to every part of her mind. The golden-red female turned back to Demeter, who sensitively walked behind her daughter. Zela sighed once, knowing the attitude she was exposing to her mother was less than acceptable of an adult queen. The young female grimaced, "I just want to know that everyone is going to be safe. I feel like I'm putting the tribe in danger by even coming back… I know he'll come after me, and…I don't want to do anything to hurt-"

"Nonsense," Demeter abruptly disclaimed, "First thing, you're not putting anyone in danger by staying where you belong. You need to realize that. Secondly, your father is-"

"Don't say that!" Zela cried sharply.

The golden-red queen's mother was taken aback by her outburst. Zela felt immediate remorse for the upheaval. "I'm sorry mother…" she whimpered, "It's just…Macavity stopped being my father after I found out what a monster he truly is…"

The golden queen sighed. Zela presumed it was an acceptation of her apology and explanation. "It's okay alright. I understand what you're talking about. I felt the exact same way when…"

Demeter's words wandered away in mid-sentence. Zelaphelia knew perfectly well what her mother was referring to: when the gold-red female was conceived.

The young queen instantly forced the thought of it out of her mind. "Please, mother I don't want you to remind yourself of that. It doesn't matter anymore." Demeter gratefully nodded to her daughter, and said nothing. Zela looked down at her paws for the rest of the way. She felt like their relationship was in reverse, and she was the one giving the child advice. Her mother was just confused and obviously scared too. It wasn't any help to know that Zela had to be the one to comfort her. Who was she supposed to go to when she needed a shoulder to lean on?

After a long silence, the two queens finally came upon the opening entrance into the central Junkyard. It looked just as Zela remembered it. The sunrise peaked over a half-shadowed junk pile consisting of a rusted bed frame, some scrap metal, and hundreds of packaged recycled newspapers and glass bottles. The red TSE 1 car sat stuck in the middle of aging junk and large tractor tires. The whole scenery was made up of large furniture and garbage bags. Though it seemed like a filthy place for any inhabitance to reside in, it actually looked quite clean in her eyes. Zela could still feel the warmness and rustic charm of the Junkyard. She could still smell freshness and earth divulged in the air, and heard the peaceful silence circling the Junkyard like a graceful wind rounding a grassy plain. The mourning seemed brighter of the very sight of her true home; the one place where she felt closest to her heart. The Jellicles' dwelling was almost like a divine spirit surrounding the young female. She breathed in the Junkyard air heavily, grasping only one thought: _I am home._

Suddenly, a shrill cry of happiness inverted her peaceful serenity. Zela opened her eyes and glanced towards the entrance. A jubilant looking adolescent was beaming at the sight of the golden-red queen. Zela recognized the chestnut-orange patches and crosshatched black lines covering the young female's chest. A fuzzy orange and brown face started running towards her with excitement palpitating off of her paws in each step. It was her half-sister, Electra. The golden-red queen caught the youngling in an embrace, and started crying at the same volume as her.

Electra started screaming in her ear as she jumped into her arms. "Zeli!!!!!! ZELI! YOU'RE BACK!"

The golden-queen felt an internal smile warming her heart. It felt good just to hear her half-sister's voice. Though, she didn't exactly know when the orange-black female began to call her Zeli. It was odd, but she liked the ring to it. The nickname was child-like, playful, and just all-around silly. It was something about its characteristics that she always wanted apart of her, but never really got the chance to have as a kit. She hoped the name might stick; at least with Electra. Zela then started to spontaneously cry on her sister's shoulder. She rarely ever cried tears of happiness. She looked over the young queen's shoulder a few heads were popping up behind the Junkyard entrance curiously to see what the commotion was about. A few bright smiles glimmered on their faces at recognition of the golden-red queen that had entered upon their home. Electra finally released her grip on her half-sister and backed away, still holding her shoulder.

Demeter sauntered over to her daughters' sides and smiled. Suddenly, a few excited voices started to arouse. "What's going on?" "Who's that?" "Who's here?" "Is…that Zelaphelia?" "Zela's back?" "Zelaphelia's here?"

Sooner or later, a huge crowd of Jellicles met at the end of the central pathway. A few faces stuck out. Jellyorum, the tribe's medical cat walked up to her. She stood with her adoptive brother, Asparagus at her side. Behind them, Jennyanydots, Jemima, Skimbleshanks, and Tumblebrutus came up and surrounded her. The notorious cat burglar couple, Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer suddenly popped out of the shadows of a high Junk pile, and leaped by her side. They looked baffled by her presence. Coming around the small crowd in front of her, Mistoffelees and Pouncival came up from behind. Zela looked back at them. They smiled warmly, glad to see she had finally returned. Soon, Munkustrap and Alonzo followed up the trail and went in front of the two toms.

Everyone seemed to be crowding over, shouting greetings, and trying to say some casual and somewhat ecstatic words to her, which she couldn't hear anyway. She just started smiling at them all. The tribe was in a bustle because of the golden-red female. It surprised her and made her glow in embarrassment at the same time. Some were grinning, others were hugging her excitedly, and some were just waiting to see her. It was amazing to see all of these felines again. However, there was one cat that was missing from the crowd; the one she wanted to see again since the day she left the Junkyard. Where was Tugger?

…

^~*~^

Bombalurina had been strutting around the Junkyard, torturing Tugger. The red queen always knew the handsome Curious Cat and an interest for Zelaphelia, which both did and didn't surprise her. Tugger was-of course, something of the same nature to Zela, or at least that was what Bomba had assumed. As odd as she thought it was, the red queen started to have an interest in the leopard-spotted tom. After all, if he liked her niece, than it was more than smart to see how loyal he actually was. Perhaps it was being unnecessarily crafty but the scarlet queen liked to think of this as wanting to work out a complicated relationship. Probably not one of her smartest ideas, but then again, she wasn't a normal queen. Bomba had an image- a reputation- to uphold, and if she wanted to deal with Tugger, she had to do it the way she would expect herself to. She grinned slyly as he rounded about the corner into her den.

She spotted his glimmering gold chest shining in the morning light of her den. His amber eyes twinkled as the sun touched them. It was as if she was looking into a star. Tugger looked around but didn't bother to care where he was. Bomba sat down with her scarlet ruffled tail curled around her legs. He rushed over to her wearing a frown. "Bomba, please," he begged, "Just tell me where she is."

The red queen grinned sweetly, but at the same time looking sly, "I don't know Tugsy. I don't see why I should do something like that for _you_. After all, you were being_ so_ mean to me when I came to say good morning." Maybe she was being arrogant, but she could sense the charm and allure in her own voice.

The Curious Cat grunted in frustration and rolled his eyes, but then turned to look at her trying to show a sincere face, "Fine, _I'm sorry_ Bomba."

Bomba pursed her lips. "For what?" she asked him innocently.

Tugger glared at her maliciously while mumbling a few curse words under his breath. He then looked her straight in the eye and gritted his teeth, "……_For being mean to you_."

A satisfactory grin appeared on Bombalurina's face. She leaned over nuzzling the leopard-spotted tom's shoulder, "See? That wasn't so hard, was it?"

He nudged her away and peered into Bomba's eyes. Tugger looked absolutely like Munkustrap at that moment. He was utterly serious. This was a side of the Curious Cat she had never seen before. It worried her. What was happening to him? There was just something too strange about his recent behavior.

Suddenly, Tugger threw a death-glare at her, "Bomba…" he growled warningly. The red queen could detect the frustration in his tone, but also caught a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. _That_ was what she had been searching for; an easily manipulated weakness in his wall of pure strength.

Bomba beamed happily, having something that she needed from the Curious Cat: a soft spot. She looked away from Tugger's amber eyes. "Alright Tug, here's what I know" –Bomba's feet slyly wandered over by the exit, brushing against the leopard-spotted tom's side. She felt his coat quivering in temptation- "While you were following me around…  
she came back up to him, staring into his impatient face

"…trying to get information…

She leaned up against him. He was completely silent,

"…you failed to notice that everyone else was heading for…"

"Yes?" the Curious Cat inquired quietly. His hand slid down her back. Bombalurina shut her eyes, filthy fantasies stirring in her crafty mind. Three words finally escaped her trembling lips as she leaned in feeling Tugger's warm breath on her face, "…the pathway entrance-"

Suddenly, the support of the leopard-spotted tom's paws dropped from her sides as she tumbled to the ground. Her lips kissed the dirt. She looked up and saw Tugger running through the exit. "Thanks Bomba!" he shouted behind his shoulder.

The scarlet queen wiped her mouth and stared after the Curious Cat. Her paw rested on her cheek as she watched Tugger sprint out of her view. At that moment, Bombalurina decided that she needed to keep an eye on him as long as he was involved with Zelaphelia. She knew from experience on how he manipulated young queen-kits so easily, just for his own heinous purposes. Who knew if he was actually being truthful about his feelings towards her niece? He didn't have her complete trust…yet.

^~*~^

Tugger rushed along the main floor of the Junkyard, his heart pumping rapidly. He had waited too long to see Zela again. He thought of all those months of wondering when she'd be back, or where she was going, or if she was okay. He had waited at what seemed like an eternity, just to hear her name aloud again…Zelaphelia… No matter what anyone else thought, he did miss her.

After a short search around the Junkyard, the Curious Cat's eyes finally found a large crowd drawn at the gate of the entrance. Mistoffelees and Victoria were trying to peer over Coricopat and Tantomile. He would've rushed over to their sides, but before he could even move, a beautiful and overjoyed queen stepped out of the crowd and into the morning sun. As the light touched her face, Tugger caught a glimmer passing through a pair of violet and gold eyes. He would've recognized them anywhere. Bomba hadn't lied to him. Zelaphelia was back in the Junkyard.

She didn't notice him staring at her from afar. She was being led out of the tribe's crowd by Munkustrap and Demeter. Tugger couldn't help but gaze at her. Just by looking at her, he knew Zela had grown. She was no longer the quick, young adolescent from when he last saw her from autumn. The gold-red female was taller, slimmer and more gorgeous than ever. The leopard-spotted tom could make out her whispering something to Demeter. Tugger didn't know what either of them had said, given the fact that their words were performed in whispers. With what looked like hesitation, Zela padded into Munkustrap and Demeter's den with the mates trailing not far behind her. The last thing he saw was her smiling mouth, but unusually sad eyes.

The Curious Cat sighed easily. Seeing Zela's glowing face had made him glad for the first time in months; but even this defined joy didn't feel like enough. He couldn't settle with just watching her. That was the exact opposite of what the real Rum Tum Tugger would do. He had to get closer. He had to hear her eloquent, cheerful voice again. He had to talk to her. Confirming this in his head, Tugger dashed out of sight with crowd of Jellicles reappearing. He had a meeting with Zela.

^~*~^

Zela looked around at Munkustrap and Demeter's den. It hadn't even changed. There was still a large rustic pipe buried under furniture, which was usually a resting place for the golden queen and her mate; it was still a larger area in the Junkyard. No real change in size. The only light that came in was from the sky light peaked high above the caved –shaped Junk cavern. Zela took in a deep breath. It smelled like home.

Munkustrap came up next to her, "I know it's not the type of accommodation you're used to, but you only have to be here for a few days…weeks…" he had murmured weeks very softly as if she wasn't supposed to hear it. It made the gold-red queen smile.

Demeter sat next to her mate. Her green eyes stared at Zela comfortingly, "You'll just room with us for little awhile until we can find a more suitable den for you. We would have earlier if we knew you were coming."

Zela furrowed her eyebrow, "I could just stay in the queens' den like I did before I left." She offered.

"We know," answered Munkustrap, "But we just figured you would be a little more comfortable with something less…crowded. We thought it would be good to give you some privacy, which is why we're trying to sort out a new den."

"You _really _don't have to do that." The gold-red female professed.

Demeter smiled, "But we wanted to." She insisted. Obviously, the golden queen couldn't tell Zela's reaction to this was a little less than positive. Being honest, Zelaphelia didn't know how she felt about a private den. She didn't even know how long she was going to stay in the Junkyard. The gold-red female was almost scared of staying alone. She didn't know where Munkustrap and Demeter had gotten the thought that she wanted privacy. If anything, she wanted to be in the middle of the crowd, like everyone else. Sadly, that wasn't the case. She couldn't be in the place where normalcy was. Zela was meant to be in the front of the crowds, even if she didn't want to be. Both her mental and physical powers became a great power of protection and guidance. She was meant to be a defender, not the one who hid in the group huddle. The question remained if she was really comfortable in a private den. Probably not, but Zela knew she couldn't tell her mother. The gold queen was just acknowledging that her daughter was truly and physically present in the Junkyard. She couldn't bring up leaving now. It would have to come up later.

"Okay," Munkustrap abruptly said, interrupting her thoughts, "Well, I think your mother needs a little air, so we'll just let you get comfortable."

Demeter's eyes darted at him and widened, "Munk, I'm sure there is plenty of air… here."

The silver tabby met her challenging gaze, "Well, then outside there is even more air."

"But I don't need more air." She countered.

"Well, then do it for me."

"Then_ you_ can just go outside."

"Well, it's just not the same when you're next to me-" he swiftly nudged Demeter out of the exit and quickly followed. Munkustrap looked behind his shoulder and smiled, "Just try to get settled in while I get your mother calmed down."

"I happen to be very calm!" Demeter shouted from outside.

The silver tabby sighed with annoyance and ran outside with one last passing glance. Zela was ironically pleased have the den to herself, considering she had made a complete internal rant about how she hated being alone. But the quiet was nice. She remembered how Demeter was fighting so much to stay in the den. She might be a bit of an impulsive mother, but truly, she was just a caring mother who wanted to spend time with her daughter. Zelaphelia didn't know how she couldn't smile at that more. The young queen sighed and watched her tail wander from side-to-side on the floor. The silence crept into her mind as she shut her eyes. Zela could feel the quiet day rushing through her core. It seemed far from peaceful now. It was almost scary to be alone. This was what she was afraid of. She had never heard a more disturbing quiescence.

"Well, look who grew up."

The voice suddenly disrupted Zela's few seconds of perplexed peace. Her body twisted to face the shadows as her eyes flew open and shifted around the den. A sudden figure sauntered out of the darkness. At first the voice was a bit sketchy and hard to make out, and she expected the worst, but suddenly a familiar face appeared into the light and Zela immediately recognized him. The one she had waited for; thinking she'd never see his face again, or the audacious thought that he would forget her; it was a waste to think such things.

"Tugger…" she whispered. A smile crept on her face, a smile of pure joy.

"Good to see you too Zel." He said with a grin. Tugger sauntered over to her and did nothing but stare. His deep amber eyes seemed to be gazing into her soul. Almost a year apart, and the Curious Cat hadn't lost his charm over Zela, and by the way he stared, he was still captivated by her.

"It's been too long." He finally said. It was as if Zela had said the exact same thing to herself.

^~*~^

The sun slowly rose over the city. Orange and red beamed in the sky and over the pier. However, there was one place where the sun didn't dare enter into. It was Macavity's grounds. No light beard from either ends of the horizon to meet the Warehouse. From there, darkness reigned supreme. Macavity liked it that way, how the darkness stained the one speck of earth so permanently. He and his home had a kindred spirit of the breathing shadows; the one place he felt the most powerful. It was magnificent.

Macavity watched as the outer breeze whistled through the dead tree branches and empty buildings. It hit his face softly, and a chill ran through him. It came so quickly that the ginger cat almost felt something disturbing him, as if an eerie shock had ran through his body. Something had happened in his city, and he didn't need his spies to tell him so.

"Sir?" A voice asked unannounced. Macavity's eyes shifted around the corners of his eyes. He didn't see which henchcat it was. He continued to look out the window.

"What is it?" he asked sordidly.

The henchcat's voice started to quiver, "Th-The spies have come back from the J-Junkyard area..."

Macavity's face was stone, "And?"

"They have a report."

The Mystery Cat didn't move. He didn't even hold his breath, "I hope that you wouldn't deliberately waste my time and say that _you_ don't have the report…"

The cat started stuttering, "Uh…N-n-never Sir. Uhm…He said something about a queen that came into the Junkyard. Um…she was black…with a golden face and speckled coat…and there was…uhhh…something about red stripes."

That immediately caught Macavity's attention, "Send Barnabas in here now."

"Yes Sir." He heard the henchcat scamper out of the room to fetch his assistant. He hated how twitchy the younger henchcats were. It was a shame he didn't look at the face, just to find out who he should have had tortured.

With only seconds to spare, Barnabas's voice entered the room, "You summoned me _sir_…"

Again, Macavity's eye twitched at the emphasis on sir. His assistant always had an eerie way of saying things to his leader. Maybe that was why the ginger tom chose him to be his assistant in the first place.

"I need you and a few others to release that tom in the cells."

Barnabas's voice was confused, "uh…_release?"_

He ignored the puzzled statement, "The toxin, you injected it?"

"…Yes." The black tom answered after several moments of silence.

"Then you know what to do."

Barnabas sighed quietly, but then spoke quickly, "As you wish, _Sir. _We'll send him out now."

"Good. Gag him, and knock him out. You know where to put him."

"Yes Sir." With that, he quickly left the ginger tom's room.

Macavity grinned to himself. After all of these months of waiting, he had driven Zelaphelia straight to where he wanted her. He had spent so many months planning. Contacting his outer branches, and trying to find her was a hassle, but he knew it would be worth it soon enough. Zela was his now. There was no doubt of it. His long-termed plans were finally falling into place…


	4. The Insanity

**A/N: Okay, So I'm back after awhile… I had no idea what to do with this chapter since the last one… writer's block… *grrr…* Anyway, I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SORRY! And I promise I'll try to update faster, as long as my thinking process doesn't go so slow anymore.**

_Macavity grinned to himself. After all of these months of waiting, he had driven Zelaphelia straight to where he wanted her. He had spent so many months planning. Contacting his outer branches, and trying to find her was a hassle, but he knew it would be worth it soon enough. Zela was his now. There was no doubt of it. His long-termed plans were finally falling into place…_

**~^..^~**

Munkustrap dragged Demeter out of the area of their den, tugging at her arm. She tried escaping his grasp a few times, but with no avail. He was, of course being gentle about it. The gold queen just wanted to be stubborn, and that was entirely her decision to do so. After all, what right had he to drag her out of her own den? As soon as they got as far as the TSE 1 red convertible, she finally was able to rip her arm away from Munk's grip. "That's enough Munk!" she shouted, grumbling exasperatedly, "Exactly what do you think you're doing?"

The silver tabby sighed and closed his eyes, as if trying to calm himself for the words he was about to say. It took a few moment before he could talk, "…Dem, you can't suffocate her."

Demeter scoffed. "I am not _suffocating_ her." She insisted.

Munkustrap's eyes suddenly flew open at her comment, "You were fighting me just to stay in the den!" he countered.

"Hm…well…" –the golden queen's voice became uneasy, "That's because…I haven't seen her for awhile. I mean, what do you expect Munk? She's my daughter! I missed her growing up because I made some stupid mistake years ago, and I don't want to lose her again! Not after all that we've been through!"

Munkustrap sighed in frustration, obviously disgruntled. Even though Demeter knew what he was trying to say, she didn't want to admit to it. She loved Zela, but it was hard_ not_ to be a neurotic and obsessive mother to the child especially because she had only spent an autumn with her in the first place. But she didn't know another way to act. Demeter felt a protective maternal instinct for Zelaphelia. She had felt that way when raising Victoria and Electra. It was a natural predisposition. The gold queen turned herself away from Munkustrap, feeling upset.

The silver tabby gingerly walked up to her side and put a comforting paw on her shoulder. "You're not going to lose her," he assured, "You are over exaggerating a little bit, love."

Demeter sighed, swallowing a tongue lashing and fighting an emphatic tear, "I know," she admitted, "but I……I just feel like I owe her that much Munk… She deserves so much from me… I mean, after abandoning her, and then……just…after so many years…"

The gold queen stopped herself. Her sore voice had wandered in mid-sentence, just because she couldn't find anymore words to add to her explanation. Munkustrap sighed from behind, and came to face her, "Well Dem, you won't get anywhere with breathing down her neck half the time. You'll just be driving her away." Demeter couldn't only detect a hint of compassion in his words, but his eyes were drowned in sympathy.

Demeter also knew all that he said to be true. The more times she spent gluing herself to Zela's side, the more the gold-and-red queen wasn't going to want to be with her. It seemed a little be ironic. When Zela was born, Deme barely wanted anything to do with her, and now all she wanted to do was to be with her. Perhaps this was the remedy to this mess, but maybe if she approached it at a lessened intensity. She sighed, wanting more than anything to see her daughter. She turned to Munkustrap, "So…what do we do now?"

The silver tabby grimaced, "Well, I just left our den to Zela, and I now have no current plans…so…"

She grinned and pecked him quickly on his lips. He snorted and wrapped his tail around hers. It was at this, Demeter realized that she and Munkustrap had been very separate through these past months. It could have been that she was in a depression, or he was just busy. Either way, they had been quite incoherent with each other. And realizing this, Demeter felt her love for her mate return to her, and all thoughts of her worrying brain started to go away as they started to walk across the Junkyard trail. It had been awhile since they had talked. It would be good to catch up…

^~*~^

Zela smiled as Tugger trailed up next to her, with a sly grin plastered on his face. She hadn't seen him in so long, that she had forgotten how pleasant a tom he was to be around. Her heart leaped in joy, knowing how long it was since she had last seen him. The leopard-spotted tom flashed a smile towards her as he stared. His eyes seemed to have increased in their auburn color from the last she had seen of him, the curious glimmer in his coat seemed not to have faded in the slightest and even after all these long months of being apart from him, Tugger still had a silly smirk that he so interestingly enjoyed using on her. Zela smiled back at him. The days had been too long without seeing the Curious Cat.

He quickly settled himself on a patch of dirt, "So, Zel" he started casually, "Been gone awhile."

Zela confirmed this with a nod. Tugger's smirk seemed to move higher on his face, "So where've you been?"

The gold queen shrugged, "Around. Here and there." She replied, trying to appear nonchalant. It reminded her of how some queens would try to act so cool around him, and she immediately felt disgusted with herself, but she didn't want to seem to girly as to babble on to where she traveled.

Tugger snorted, "Okay, but then where's 'here and there'?"

Obviously he wasn't going to take a nonchalant answer from her, which made Zela feel a bit glad, knowing he was at least interested. She then thought back. Kingsten had been in northern England, but before that, she had traveled mostly the boundaries between the ocean and countryside, and also saw a little of the bordering countries, "Just parts of the country." She said, then remembered something spur the moment, "I…I also visited Scotland." She murmured. She instantly wished she hadn't.

Tugger didn't seem to react by facial expression, but in his eyes, there glimmered slight nostalgia, "Oh. Nice…" he said quietly. Zela immediately felt an awkward wall between them. She had hoped to appeal to his memory but she didn't want to make the moment feel weird. _Why do have to be so STUPID sometimes?! _She screamed mentally. Late autumn, the Curious Cat had confided in her about his original heritage. His biological mother was supposedly from Scotland. The father was unknown. Old Deuteronomy was traveling western Scotland when he found Tugger as a small kitten, half dead. Acting on impulse, Deuteronomy adopted the kit, and took a train back to the city where he placed the young Maine Coon in the care of his sixth mate, Aurélie, who had given birth to a silver tabby tom who grew up to be the Jellicle guardian, Munkustrap. A few years passed and Aurélie died. The whole tribe was devastated for the loss of their beloved member, but no one could compare as to the sorrow of the late queen's sons and mate. By that time, Deuteronomy told the young Tugger the truth about his parentage, and it was right around the same time that the Curious Cat changed his image completely. The whole reason for his sudden change of persona was do to his actual heredity.

Zela always did wonder why he had shared all this with her. After all, she was just a stupid adolescent queen, how did he change his mind about her so quickly? Inhaling sharply, the gold-red queen looked up at him and smiled, "But enough about me, what have you been doing these past few months?" she asked, in an effort to change the subject.

The leopard-spotted tom's smirk reappeared, just as she had expected as he got back into his wry stance, "Been waiting for you, Z." He said flirtatiously, and through his wry tone, Zela knew that there was some truth to his words.

"Well then, you've been waiting for me, so here I am." She said with a slight grin, playing with her own flirtation, which seemed odd, coming from her. _Wow, where is this coming from?_ She thought. The golden-red queen quickly concluded that this must have been inherited from Bombalurina, her being her aunt. _I guess it just needed time to grow in._ she guessed. However, Zela didn't let this issue block her mind from Tugger. She didn't know why she was attracted to him. Maybe it was his smile, or maybe she was just as easily a fankit like the rest of them, but was simply in denial. Or possibly it was just because he was fatally charming. Whatever the reason, she wasn't about to let him get away with anything at the moment, even if she did leave him with a kiss before she left… Anyway, right now it was just an innocent flirtation, and she wasn't about to let it get a hold of her.

So, the Rum Tum Tugger grinned slightly before making his way back by her side, "So, you wanna take a look around? It's been awhile since you've seen the place." Very casually, Tugger put his arm around her. Zela thanked Heavyside he wasn't going to do anything rash or cheesy right at that moment.

A sudden shy reminisce came over her, as if remembering some flirtation back when she was just barely an adolescent. She felt so stupid for everything that she had done back then, especially any young kitten-like dalliance with him. Zela felt so embarrassed with herself, but she knew it didn't matter anymore. The past was the past, and she was going to try to not look like a fool in front of the Curious Cat, though she wasn't trying to get his attention like before…or maybe she was…

"Uh….sure." she finally answered after a long pause.

"Good, so…" Tugger then went on about a rant the young Jellicle queen wasn't even paying attention to as he led her around to the exit of the den. Inside, (though she didn't want to admit it at the moment) Zela really did like Tugger, but she just didn't want to get hurt and embarrassed if he didn't like her the same way. It was an odd conundrum between them, which she hoped to get sorted before the fort night was out…

^~*~^

Tugger led the gold-red queen away from the den with his arm draped around her shoulder. At this time, Mungojerrie had the pleasure of watching from a place above in the junk piles. He and Rumpleteazer were having much luck in tunneling their way around the Junkyard, in order to stash some of their heisted goods. One of the perks was being able to watch the Junkyard activities like a parade from above. The tiger-striped tom grinned rascally as he watched Tugger and Zela walk away. He found spying on the tribe as a good pass time, as well as a factor of his advantage. Whenever he wanted information, or he needed something, he could always blackmail. It was all fun though. He wouldn't reveal anything crucial, but anything that could cause instant mortification.

Jerrie watched as the Curious Cat walked around pointing to and fro through the Junkyard, and talking to Zela. The gold queen didn't really seem to be paying attention to what he was saying, as she was taking an interest of his facial expressions. Mungojerrie was glad that his days as a spy/thief for Macavity had paid off. He turned to Teazer, who was deep in the cavern-like junk pile, "Oi, Teazah, ge' a load o' this!" he exclaimed humorously.

The tiger tabby queen walked over to him with a grin. "Wha' is it?" she asked. Jerrie didn't answer. Teazer sighed as she tried to meet where his eyes were staring. Finally, she spotted the two. She scoffed, "Well looky there! Ain't tha' just an interestin' scene? Don' think Deme and Munk's gonna loike tha' a' all, no Oi don'!"

The male half of the duo chuckled impishly. "It could come in moighty handy when we need somethin' from Tuggah, or Zela fah tha' reason."

Teazer clutched his shoulder as she raised an eyebrow tentatively, "Now Jers, we talked 'bout this koind o' stuff…" she murmured.

He snorted as a rebuttal, "Teazah, come on! It's jus' a lil' black moil, is all. It ain't gonna 'urt no one."

The tiger-striped female just shook her head doubtfully, "Oi don' loike doin' tha' stuff Jerrie. An' the las' thing we need is to ge' on someone else's bad soide. Besoides, Zela's loike a kindred spiri'. We ain't the only ones oo've bin mistrea'ed boiy Macavity."

Jerrie nodded, "Oi know it." He said solemnly, "Bu' tha' ain't our problem anymoah. We go' our own issues to settle ovah here."

Teazer through her head back and laughed, "An' whot exactly is that, dare oi ask?"

The tiger striped tom shrugged, "How 'bout the fact that Zela's got those weird moind powahs and she could easily know where we keep everythin'?"

Rumpleteazer rolled her eyes as she sat next to her partner, "Well, by the looks o' it, it don' look loike she'll be too interested on where we keep our stashes."

"Oi guess, bu' tha' don' mean she can' 'old it against us if she does look for 'em ou' of curiosity."

Teazer shrugged, "True, bu' then again, now we go' somethin' on 'er. And knowin' Zela she'd go to us for braggin' before she went to someone else. Now we go' somethin' on 'er."

Mungojerrie grinned impishly, "Now you're talkin' Teazah."

The tiger striped queen quickly raised an eyebrow, "Don' be gettin' any oidea'rs now, Jerrie."

He grunted, partially annoyed by his mate, as he kept his eyes on Zela and Tugger, "Don' worry, Oi won'," he assured, "It's jus' good tah keep an ey' on things……fohr our own advantage, o' course…"

Teazer was still tentative, but she reluctantly let go of his shoulder, "Of course…" a bit bored of the subject, the tiger striped queen looked out toward the fence lines of the Junkyard. It was amazing how far they could actually see from the junk piles. Suddenly, she saw an ominous figure in the shadows, merely a blur, but still visible. The tiger striped queen stood up, trying to see what was there. She turned to her mate, "Jerrie," she said, "Look ou' there. Oi see somethin'."

Mungojerrie looked out, trying to see where Teazer was looking. Suddenly he noticed the same blur of a figure, lying on the sidewalk. He turned around, heading for the exit of the cavern, intending to head up by the borders. "We shou'd go check i' out…"

^~*~^

Plato twitched in the dust, pain twisting through his veins and pounding in his head. He couldn't move, but his mind was totally awake. With heavy strain, Plato lifted his eyelids. All he saw was the ground, and a red stain in the dirt, his blood, obviously. He wasn't exactly sure how he had gotten there, or what had happened before. The red and white tom only remembered being knocked out a long period back, and then being tortured a countless number of times.

He cringed at the thought of the pain, and grimaced as feeling returned back into his body. Plato wheezed out small breaths several times, trying to ease the pain, but breathing itself proved to be quite difficult without wanting to stop. Pure agony had now taken over his lungs and throats. It felt like it his whole body was on fire, but he refused to give in.

Suddenly, his vision started to become glossy. Plato started to see the blood in front of him starting to change colors, and the pain in his body growing more in tense. The calico tom felt his veins beginning to pulse, almost like they were calling to the hurt. He could then feel his tongue beginning to go fuzzy, and his cheeks feeling like they were swelling. _What's…wrong…with me?_ He asked himself, still in anguish.

Suddenly, his thoughts just started to flow over him, and he couldn't even think to himself anymore. All the pain from his body just seemed to take over his mind, and he couldn't feel anything but insanity.

A blurry voice suddenly spoke to the impaired tom, "What the-" the voice paused in surprise, and then gasped, "Great Heavyside……Plato? Plato………"

The voice was just a blur now. Plato could hear the words, and understand them, but the pain was far too great, and the madness of whatever was affecting him was taking over. He was no longer in control…

^~*~^

Alonzo stared at the disheveled shell of his old friend. A panic and shock filled him. The black-white tom had gone on his voluntary patrols, only to find Plato to his own surprise. At first, he had absolutely no idea how to react. The bicolor tom was a mess. He looked like he had suffered a few contusions, and didn't look too bad with some cuts and bruises. His fur looked like it was pulled on and torn at, as if he was mistaken for a scratching post. He was a complete mess.

Alonzo rushed over to Plato, and started to shake him. "Plato!" he cried in a rough whisper, "Plato, wake up! Wake up, Plato!"

The injured tom stirred a bit, "Hesssehhhffmfmemmmmm…." He mumbled. Then, abruptly, Plato started to twitch and spazz. His body started shaking crazily, as if he was being possessed by a demon. "Hah……Ah….Ah! HA! AHAHA! HA!" Plato's wickedly insane laughter started to shoot out randomly and circle the area. It was as if the young calico had gone mad.

Alonzo backed away, in fear, as he witnessed his old friend being taken over by insanity. Suddenly, someone else's voice cried behind him, "'Ehy, whot's goin' on?"

The black and white tom knew the voice all too well. Soon, Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer suddenly appeared from the shadows of the Junkyard. They both looked at the spastic tom, and instantly had shocked and horrified faces.

Alonzo quickly ran for the fence, and almost slammed his body into it in complete panic, "Jerrie, help me get him under control!"

The tiger striped tom looked at him as if he were insane. "You're jokin' roight?" he asked, "Whot tha 'ell is wrong wit' him?!"

Alonzo just started shaking his head, "I don't know. Just please help me."

The tiger tom still looked anxious and tentative, but reluctantly, he looked up and leapt on top of the fence. Quickly, he jumped down, and told Rumpleteazer to stay back as the two males headed toward the mad tom.

Mungojerrie was the first to approach him, "Nahw Pla'o, jus' calm down-" He tried reaching out to the red-orange tom, but Plato quickly extended his claws and scratched his arms, "OWCH!" he cried, rubbing the cut. The blow barely broke his skin, but it hurt enough to make him curse.

Alonzo then quickly went into action. Gulping, he sprung up behind Plato, and took a quick hold of his paw. Plato then turned to him, with a crazed look in his eyes, which had turned from a soft blue to a harsh and fiery red. Alonzo was taken aback by his friend's change in appearance. Now staring at him for a brief second, his fur seemed to be covered in his own blood. His smile revealed his sickening, yellow teeth. But his eyes were the most horrific of them all. They were a stomach-curdling red. They had the gleam look that waved over the blood red irises the seemed to be mixed with pain, madness, and hate. His pupils could barely be seen. It gave the white-black tom absolute dread.

Mungojerrie then came back on the rebound, and pinned down Plato's other paw, this time with more agility. The crazed bicolor tom started kicking as his profane laughter surrounded the place. While struggling to secure him, Alonzo spotted Rumpleteazer opening the gates to the Junkyard. Breathing deeply, Mungojerrie and Alonzo stood Plato up as he starting jittering like a half-frozen kit. They gently started walking him towards the gates. He then violently started to hitting, as his cackle started become loud then soft with each spasm.

Alonzo held tight to Plato, and then called out to Teazer who was observing this in fear, "Teazer, go get Munkustrap!" he shouted. The tiger-striped queen nodded and then ran in the other direction without any hesitation. As Plato started to move more quietly, Alonzo glanced over at Mungojerrie, "Let's get him to Jelly's den." He said.

The tiger striped tom confirmed this with a nod as they walked more quickly. Alonzo could tell that they were now trying not to be seen…

^~*~^

As the sun rose into high noon, Munkustrap sat with Demeter in the middle of the Junkyard, as they stared at nothing but each other. He felt a little guilty from neglecting to attend to his depressed mate after all these months, but now he had the opportunity to make it right. This had probably been the longest he had spent with her since winter. Of course, he couldn't help it. He was a busy tom, trying to do Old Deuteronomy's job, but slowly, it had gotten easier as the seasons had passed. Now it was mid-summer, the Jellicle ball was soon to approach and life seemed to have absolutely no troubles at all.

The silver tabby then turned to his mate. Her gold face and green eyes seem to shine brightly under the sun, as if to great lights were competing to see who could be brighter. He had missed that smile, and he wished it could never leave her face. "Dem," he said, barely above a whisper, "Sitting here…with you…after so long……I just…I feel……well…….I love you."

Demeter looked over to him and smiled warmly. Munkustrap felt like a hearth was near his face, as if she were the sun. "I love you too." She said genuinely. Munkustrap always loved being open to the gold queen, because she always had a positive reaction. Demeter quickly pecked her mate on the cheek and smiled at him sweetly. The silver tabby felt as if his youthful adolescent days were waving back to him.

Demeter then sighed, and then sat up straight, with a slight grin. "Anyway, now I guess I'm just happy that Zela's back. I don't have to deal with anymore drama, and maybe I can finally get to know my daughter."

Munkustrap smiled as he came up to meet his mate's face, "I think so too." He said encouragingly, "You've just been so deprived of her for so long; I guess…I guess you just need some time with her."

She smiled back at him, "And I plan to make that time, whenever it's possible. Of course, I want her to have a life in the Junkyard, not just to improve her relationship with me."

Munkustrap nodded, acknowledging all of Demeter's hopes for the gold-rd queen. "I know she'll be alright." He assured them both, "She's very strong, and now she's a fully grown queen."

Demeter covered a smile on her face and looked at the ground, "Oh…that must mean I'm getting old if she's already an adult." She cried through her hands.

The silver tabby chuckled and leaned over to kiss her forehead, "Oh Dem," he chuckled, "You're as young and spirited as the day I first met you."

The gold queen smiled and leaned into her mate. "Munk, I love you….so much. You're too nice to me."

The silver and black tom scoffed, "I'm not nice _enough _to you…….But I swear that's going to change. I'm not going to unintentionally neglect you anymore."

Demeter looked up at him, "You never did." She said simply.

Soon the two of them sat in the silence of the day. Magic seemed to swarm around them listlessly, magic that seemed to last forever, as if they didn't have a care in the world.

"Munk!" a voice suddenly cried. Munkustrap opened his eyes as Demeter got up from his chest. He stood up and looked around with Demeter bending down by his side. Abruptly, Rumpleteazer appeared sprinting over to him, as her screams grew louder, "Munk! Munk! Oh, Heavyside, Munk!"

The silver tabby stared at the tiger striped queen. She looked completely exhausted, but also in a panic. He touched her shoulder, and tried to calm her, "Teazer. Teazer! Relax…" she panted heavily, looking very dizzy. He looked deeply into her eyes, "What is it? What's wrong? What happened, Rumpleteazer?"

The tiger-striped queen stood there, breathing heavily in and out. Demeter came tentatively to her side, and gripped her other shoulder. Teazer then started to speak between breaths, "Munk……Pla'o….It was Pla'o…..We…we saw 'im…….we saw 'im, an' he was….goin' crazy, loike….loike a…a mad ca'…….It was terrible! Then……Mungo an' 'Lonz……they grabbed 'im, an'…… 'eaded into tha…that Junkyard….Ah, it was……awful…"

Munkustrap brow furrowed as Teazer bent down, catching her breath. He released his grip on her shoulder, "Plato? Where, Teazer, where did they go?"

She shook her head, staring at the dirt, "I dunno……I dunno…….prolly Jelly's den……bu' it's just a guess…"

Without thinking, Munkustrap stood up and ran towards the medical den, still shocked and amazed by Rumpleteazer's story. He headed down a dark path and into the main area of the Junkyard. Everything seemed normal. No one seemed panicked or confused. Perhaps nothing was going on. Maybe Teazer was just being funny. Then again, she seemed far to strained to be joking. Heading past the curious faces, the silver tabby headed up into the areas where the dens sat in garbage piles. Quickly, he located where Jellyorum's den was, and ran straight for it.

Then suddenly, something stopped him.

He saw Mungojerrie and Alonzo trying to carry the crazed looking Plato into the den. He had on a wicked grin as he cackled. His claws were out and swinging between the two of them and his eyeballs looked as to be on fire. Munkustrap was taken aback as his jaw dropped,

"Good Lord……" he whispered. All of the instincts on issues and troubles and problems suddenly came back…

^~*~^


	5. Catching Up

_Without thinking, Munkustrap stood up and ran towards the medical den, still shocked and amazed by Rumpleteazer's story. He headed down a dark path and into the main area of the Junkyard. Everything seemed normal. No one seemed panicked or confused. Perhaps nothing was going on. Maybe Teazer was just being funny. Then again, she seemed far to strained to be joking. Heading past the curious faces, the silver tabby headed up into the areas where the dens sat in garbage piles. Quickly, he located where Jellyorum's den was, and ran straight for it. _

_Then suddenly, something stopped him. _

_He saw Mungojerrie and Alonzo trying to carry the crazed looking Plato into the den. He had on a wicked grin as he cackled. His claws were out and swinging between the two of them and his eyeballs looked as to be on fire. Munkustrap was taken aback as his jaw dropped, _

"_Good Lord……" he whispered. All of the instincts on issues and troubles and problems suddenly came back…_

~^..^~

Munkustrap studied the bicolor tom with horror, but also with interest. Months had seemed to pile up on work, including the search parties for the missing tom. Now, when things were just beginning to be peaceful, Plato had turned up, but not the way the silver tabby had initially expected. At first, hearing the name Plato from Rumpleteazer was surprising, and he thought it would lead to something good, but now…staring at the tom he had known for most of his life, there was no way that this was good at all.

Alonzo and Mungojerrie had struggled to guide the impaired Plato into the Medical den, where Etcetera and Jellyorum probably were. The silver tabby tom had not bothered to reveal himself to the situation just yet. Instead, he planned to listen, and observe. The red-white bicolor tom cackled hideously like a mad cat as Alonzo pulled him into the den. Munkustrap walked up behind the door as he listened:

Alonzo was first to talk over the laughter: "Jelly? Jellyorum? Jelly!?!"

Jellyorum came out, slightly ornery. She sometimes slept during the day, which made her a treachery to cross, if disturbed. "What- what, what is it-" suddenly, the voice of medical cat gasped, "Dear- Heavyside! Is that…….Plat-"

"Yes, it's Pla'o!!" Mungojerrie answered blatantly, struggling to hold him back. He seemed a bit agitated.

Alonzo tried to keep a calmer tone than Jerrie had as he explained: "I found him out near the borders. I don't know what happened to him. He was unconscious at first, then once I was able to wake him up, he just……he went insane!"

Munkustrap could hear the light tabby queen inhale sharply. The black-white tom caught his breath, "Do you know what it could be?"

Jellyorum gently laid the impaired tom on a leather cushion while his laugh died down into a chuckle. She smoothed her hand over his forehead, and then put her paw over his neck vein. She silently shook her head, and rubbed her eyes, "No." she stated, "I'm not sure yet. His heart rate is faster than a rabbit's, and he has a slight fever…hm…excessive perspiration, and overwhelming muscle spasms…It's like he's not in control of his own body……wait…wait a second…" Jellyorum's footsteps padded to the other side of the den, "I think I may have seen something like this before……Etcetera, help me get a book from the shelf…"

Curious now, Munkustrap stepped lightly into the den. Mungojerrie's head turned slightly, and caught him out of the corner of his eye, "Munkustrap," He whispered, in slight surprise.

The silver tabby didn't say a word in greeting back, "Alonzo, what happened? What's wrong with Plato?"

Alonzo looked back at him, and grimaced, "Munk, I……I was out patrolling and…I found him sprawled on ground, covered in blood and such……The second I tried to wake him, he went crazy, and tried attacking me! Luckily, Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer had come back and helped me get him into the Junkyard."

Jellyorum came back from her book shelf; Etcetera came up near her side with a bottle of brown liquid and spare rag cloth. The medical queen took both from her daughter's arms. She poured the contents of the bottle onto the cloth, and then applied it to Plato's mouth and nose. Slowly, his chuckling died down as his eyes began to close. Munkustrap looked over, wondering what she had done, "Whoa, Jelly, what are doing?"

"Relax Munk, don't get your tail in a knot." She jeered, rubbing some sweat off her forehead, "It's just some natural herbs and morphine to help him get to sleep. His heart rate will go down, and with the proper treatment, so will his fever."

The silver tabby tom sighed, relieved, but still puzzled, "What about his insane…behavoir? What happened with his eyes and his…muscle spasms…what about that?"

The medical queen sighed and shook her head, "I don't know yet. Madness isn't my area of expertise. When I looked in the book, it said something about sudden fevers and muscle spasms were symptoms for a serious disease. The name isn't exactly easy to pronounce. Let's just say it's… not very common…but not contagious…I don't think…As for the behavior, I can only assume it was neurological, but I may be wrong. I don't know yet..."

Mungojerrie then stepped in, "Waita second. Oi still don' undastand. What happened ta Pla'o? Why is 'e sick? There's gotta be some sorta medical…scoiency expl'eenation. " All three toms turned to Jellyorum.

"For now, I don't know." She answered simply, "I examined his wrists, his arms, legs. There's a puncture mark on each of them, all where a vein is supposed to be. It's as if……something was injected into him. I'm not too fully acknowledged in human's medical treatments, but I know they can apply medicines to their patients by puncturing their skin with sharp needles, and force liquid medicines into their blood streams. It helped them heal faster. But the same method could also be used to inject poisons. If I'm not mistaken, this looks like a case of it. It might have been a poison, or toxin or disease that was forced into Plato's bloodstream, but I will have to perform several tests before I can be certain on anything. I also need help to understand the madness he's undergoing. That seemed to be a symptom, or side effect to the injection."

Munkustrap nodded; pondering what else he could do to help, and making as quick decisions as to what to tell the tribe. "We can tell Quaxo. He'll probably know _something _on the subject. But we can't risk panicking the tribe with this yet. If anyone asks, we found Plato, but he's in intensive care and can't be seen by anybody. Jelly, you need to diagnose this as soon as possible, and figure out if it's curable. Jerrie, you have to tell Teazer about all this, but tell her to keep it from anyone else who asks."

Jerrie nodded, and quietly saluted, "Already done Munk."

The silver tabby nodded once and then turned to Alonzo, "Lonz, I need you to look after Plato, along with Etcetera. While Jelly and Quaxo try to diagnose this, you need to make sure he stays under control, and not turn into a_ conspicuous_ scene. Got it?"

The white and black tom nodded once, "No problem Munk."

"Good," he murmured, glad that everything was going according to plan so far, "And remember, no one else can no about this. Perhaps if we can figure it out, we can reveal it later in the process of curing Plato, but for now, it would be a good idea to keep it secret …"

^~*~^

Zelaphelia walked around the Junkyard, staring around, almost overwhelmed from the parts of her home that _had _changed. Everything seemed slightly regular, but now, she got to see the Junkyard through Tugger. He had willingly guided her around the newest of her surroundings, including the latest den installments for certain new mateships. How things had changed since she had left. First of all, the younger Jellicles were preparing for the Jellicle Ball, which was supposed to be a month and half away, or so she was told. Electra and Pouncival had mad sudden arrangements to dance together, as did Victoria and Mistoffelees, which wasn't a huge surprise, also Jemima and Tumblebrutus. Etcetera was initially asked by Plato, but considering he had disappeared she had decided to go alone. But in any case, the younger population of the tribe seemed eager enough for the upcoming ball.

Zela really didn't understand why the ball was a huge deal, at least not until Tugger told her all about the rituals, the choosing of one feline to the Heavyside layer… …the mating dance...... Of course, that's what the adolescents were making preparations for. The gold-red queen had decided automatically not to participate in any of the dancing rituals this year. This was technically going to be her first ball anyway. Well, if she stayed longer than two months that is. Zelaphelia didn't want to upset anyone by leaving, but she was a nomadic cat. What was the point of staying at long periods at the time?

Long after Tugger had explained all of this to her, Zela decided to go off on her own. He reluctantly complied and went back to his den, but not after doing a small hip shake while walking away. Obviously, he knew she was watching. The gold and red queen grinned, semi-amused, but without a second thought, padded away, into the main area of the Junkyard. As she walked down through a small dirt path, Zela finally stepped onto the main ground. A white flash suddenly passed over her with unmatched speed. The gold-red queen flinched back, in surprise, but then casually peered around her.

Victoria had been the white flash, and as quickly as she had passed Zela, the sooner she stopped and turned around. The white queen gave her a quick smile and turned her body at an eighty-degree angle to meet her half-sister completely, "Hey Zela." She greeted cheerfully, "I didn't get a chance to talk to you lately. Sorry If I surprised you, I was in a hurry."

Zela grinned slightly and raised an eyebrow, "Really. I couldn't tell." She commented in a dry sarcastic tone, "Why in such a rush Vic?"

Victoria's lips curled back into a smile as she rocked on her toes back and forth, "Hm…no reason in particular. 'Cept, I had to go talk to Misto 'bout something…"

The golden red queen smiled, almost forgetting about the Tuxedo tom, "Oh yeah, Misto…haven't talked to him in forever."

Zela could simply see by her half sister's facial expression that she was acting as if this was obvious news, which it was. "If you want," the white queen said, "I can take you into my and Misto's den. He must be lurking around here somewhere. Besides, there's something I want to tell him."

Zela raised an eyebrow, noticing a sly smile quickly cross her half-sister's face. "Oh? And what would that be, Vicky?"

The white queen returned with a grin as she started walking down the path. Zela rolled her eyes and smiled, trying to catch up to her, "So, it's a secret, is it?" she jested.

Victoria shrugged and kept her steady pace down the dirt path, "Oh, it's not going to be a secret for long." She said quickly. Zelaphelia raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Would you mind telling me first?" she inquired.

Vicky stopped and sighed, but she kept her silence. Zela noticed that she almost looked anxious. In fact, her whole body was shaking, as if she was excited for something. The gold-red queen blinked once and stopped to sit in front of her sister. "Vic, come on. Please tell me. What's got you all excited?"

At first, Victoria looked away with a wriggling smile on her face. Zela could already tell that she could not contain her secret any longer. Although the gold-red female hated idle gossip, she enjoyed knowing things before anyone else. She smiled and leaned in, waiting for her sister to burst. Finally, she did.

"I think… …I think I might be pregnant!" she finally squealed.

Zela's eyes popped open, in a strange combination of surprise and happiness. She smiled at her sister and immediately squealed with Victoria and opened her arms to an embrace. She could feel her sister shaking as they bounced up and down joyfully. Zelaphelia was finally able to control herself to realize the simple fact: Victoria was pregnant. She smiled at the white queen and found the ability to meet with her eyes, "So…really? You're pregnant??"

Vicky bared a cheery grin, "Well, I just had Jennyanydots confirm it for me last night. She was 95 percent sure of it. And, well, Misto and I haven't really been trying to have kittens, I…I just really can't wait to see his face!"

Zela smiled and caught a quick glance at her sister's stomach. She was happy for Victoria, but she couldn't help but ponder how Mistoffelees would react to such news. Most likely he'd be happy, and she would be more than glad to share the sight of that facial expression with her sister. The look that said, 'I'm going to be a father?' Zela smiled just thinking about it, "So, how far are you along?" she asked curiously.

Victoria caught a glance at her stomach and smiled, "Jenny said close to two weeks, not even!"

Zela smiled and patted her back, "Well, I'm happy for you, Vic."

"Thanks Zela…"

The gold-red queen then raised an eyebrow. A question suddenly sat on the tip of her tongue, "So…does anyone else know?"

Victoria looked up at her and shook her head, "Besides Jenny and you, no. And she said she wouldn't tell anyone unless I wanted her to. I only found out yesterday, so obviously I haven't gotten the courage to tell mum or Munkustrap. Really, I think that I should have told Misto right away. I guess I was afraid of how he'll react, but now I couldn't be more excited!"

Zela smiled and nodded, "I'm sure he'll be as excited as you are, Vic. However, we'll never find out unless we go talk to him."

The white female nodded affirmatively as she pointed down the path, "Our den is right over there. Will you come with me?"

The gold-red queen nodded, "Of course I will."

The two Jellicle queens quickly strode across the Junkyard's path. It was now about midday, and it seemed like there couldn't have been a better one. The sun was shining brightly down as the heat was shaded by the junk piles. There were a few stratus clouds, and the sky was a dull blue. Zelaphelia smiled happily as she and Victoria wandered through the entrance of the den.

As the gold-red queen looked around, the den seemed very neatly arranged. It was either do to Misto's magical telekinesis, or maybe Victoria's obsession for perfection. She saw crates stacked neatly in threes on one side of the den, and thin pipelines standing vertically and intertwining together in a distinct pattern that left a small opening on the other. The whole den was covered from the sun in a dome-like ceiling. A few flashlights hung from the walls to light the darkness. Zela almost couldn't breathe. She really hadn't expected it to be so…homey; so organized… It was highly unusual for a Junkyard cat; then again, Victoria and Misto were a _very _odd couple.

Zelaphelia feet wandered openly through the den as her gaze lingered. It wasn't until this point where she realized how much she really missed her sister. Before they even knew of their relation to Demeter, the two did become good friends. In fact, Victoria was one of the first queens she met when she first came to the Junkyard. The two of them just kind of had a strange sisterly connection. Well, that one was pretty self-explanatory, them being half-sisters.

Zela's gaze finally fell on Victoria who paced forward and shouted through the dark opening past the crossing pipes. "MISTO!" The gold-red queen flinched in surprise, unaware that her sister had such a strong voice.

Suddenly, Zela felt a tap on her shoulder. She jumped a foot higher in the air and turned around. A smirking tuxedo tom stood there with an amused face. "Hello Zela."

The Jellicle female glared at him, "Don't do that!" she chided, "You know I hate it when you do that!"

Mistoffelees chuckled as his silky black coat glimmered under the glow of the flashlight. "Sorry Zel, but you know I can hardly resist." Zela glared at him, knowing full well that she could have choked him for scaring her half to death. But what really frightened her was that she didn't even see it coming. Wouldn't her mindsight have warned her if someone was coming up from behind?

Victoria abruptly ran up behind her half-sister and clung on to her mate in a tight embrace. The tuxedo tom was a bit taken aback by this sudden hug, but was able to wrap his arms around the white female. Vic suddenly kissed her mate and smiled at him. Misto's eyes closed half way as he gazed at his mate happily. "It's good to see you too, Vic." Zela thought that comment might've killed the moment for the white queen.

Victoria shook her head as she backed away from him by a few steps, "Misto, I have something to tell you." She said quietly.

Misto raised an eyebrow as he put a hand on her shoulder. His smiled formed into a worrisome frown, "What is it Vicky?"

Victoria seemed a bit hesitant at first. In fact, she was completely silent for a few moments. Zelaphelia put an encouraging paw on her half-sister's shoulder. The white queen looked behind her, and smiled at her, with a quiet doubt stirring in her eyes. Quietly, Victoria was able to blink, and look back at the tuxedo tom. "Misto, I…I'm pregnant."

At first, Misto's didn't react. He was completely silent, and his eyes were about as wide as two moons. His frown had stretched out into an agape expression, as if he was in shock. Zela glanced back at Victoria, who seemed to be waiting for him to say something. Finally, he did, "W-what? W-w-what did y-you say?"

Victoria looked into his eyes, "I'm with kittens, Misto. Your kittens."

Misto's face seemed to freeze, looking like he was pondering this. Zela didn't blame him. Though she had never experienced the joy of carrying kittens, she had heard the many stories of future mothers and fathers preparing to bring one of there own into the world. Wynestelle had explained the long and excruciating process of birthing kittens when she was still in Kingsten. Zela actually couldn't stand listening to it. She didn't sleep for a week after that little conversation. It proved to the golden- red queen that pregnancy was a scary thing. A chill ran up her spine. No wonder Misto was in shock.

It wasn't for a few moments until a smile finally grew on Mistoffelee's face. He let out a chortle before throwing his arms around Victoria. Both queens let out a sigh of relief as the mates tightly embraced. At that moment, Zela couldn't help but realize she was in déjà vu. Victoria and Mistoffelees looked exactly like Wynestelle and Cesaro at that moment. "Wow." Was all the tuxedo tom could mutter, "W-wow! I-…I can' t…I can't…I don't…I- what …Wow."

Needless to say, his reaction was very entertaining. Victoria looked back at him smiled happily, "I'm glad you feel that way." She said, smiling.

"Wow…I'm going to be a father…" he mused quietly to himself. His gaze turned to Victoria, "And you're going to be a mother…Wow…I can't believe this…"

His mate nodded gleefully, "I can't either…They…they're coming in three months, or so… "-she chuckled- "At least they'll be good playmates for Cassandra's kittens."

Zelaphelia's eyes suddenly popped as she walked forward with an open mouth, "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa……Vic……Cassandra's… pregnant too?"

The white queen looked over her should to her half-sister she smiled as she flipped around, Misto still encasing her in his arms. She smiled, "Oh Yeah, Zel, she is. I forgot that you didn't know. But yes, she's with kittens. Pretty far along too."

Zela kept staring at the two of them, "Uhh…. when did this happen exactly?!"

Mistoffelees shrugged, gripping Victoria hands and smiling, "Alonzo and she announced it about late spring."

The gold and red queen nodded quietly, still pretty shocked, "I……I didn't even notice…so…how far is she?"

Victoria smiled, "She says she's expecting them any day now. You should see her Zela, you would never recognize her."

Zelaphelia shook her head as she sat down. How did she miss this? She was pretty sure she had seen Cassandra when she came into the Junkyard. How could she have not noticed that the Siamese queen was pregnant? Victoria gave a sympathetic smile, as if she had expected this reaction, "Yeah, I know it's a lot coming at you. But hey, it's gonna be alright."

Zela turned her head towards Vic, nodding accordingly, "Yes! Of course it is…I'm just…in shock…" The young queen really couldn't believe how much had really changed. All the kittens were getting together, two queens were now pregnant, dens had been set up, and Deuteronomy was gone for now. Almost a year had gone by, and Zela hadn't expected to see so much happen. Even the Junkyard, in all its greatness had changed drastically.

Victoria smiled and patted the gold-red queen's paws. She looked as if she didn't know what to say, "Its okay," she assured happily, "Say, I think I should go tell the news to Mum, and Munkustrap. Will you come with me?"

The Jellicle queen smiled at her half-sister. She actually didn't want to leave the den, nor did she feel like watching Demeter's frazzled expression at the thought of Victoria's pregnancy. With a small smile, she shook her head, "Nah, Vic. I think I'll stick around here for awhile. Besides,. It'll be good for me to search around."

Victoria nodded quietly, shrugging, and looking slightly disappointed, "Alright then. I'll talk to you later. "-she turned towards her mate- "You want to come with, Misto?"

The tuxedo tom smiled, but respectfully shook his head, "I think I'll stay back too, Vic. You should go talk to your mother."

The white queen sighed, but smiled once more before kissing her mate on the cheek. "I won't be long." She said quietly. She looked back towards Zela, "I'll see you later, Zel."

"See ya, Vic."

With that, the white queen exited the den. Zelaphelia smiled once as she watched her sister leave. Victoria was always so happy, so good. Zela couldn't help but envy her. She had a good mate; she was pregnant with his kits. She led a perfect life. Vicky was the picture of happiness. And Mistoffelees, well, what couldn't be running through his mind now? He was going to be a father in a few months. The gold-red queen smiled as she turned around to face Misto, but when she saw him, her smile disappeared. He was sitting down on a pile of split wood with his elbows sitting on her knees and his head facing his lap. Zela frowned, seeing his disgruntled facial expression.

She paced over at sat beside him, "Misto, what's wrong?" she put her paw on his shoulder.

He glanced up at her, but quickly diverted his eyes away and back into his lap, "I can't believe she's having kittens…Zela…this is bad."

The gold-red queen's eyebrows rose. He had just been so happy about the kittens, having Vicky in his arms. "Why? Misto, what's wrong?"

Mistoffelees looked up at her. She could see the disturbed glimmer in his eyes, "Zela, when my mother was pregnant with me, there were four other kittens in my litter. They were all stillborns… because my magic was actually developing while I was in the womb, and it was powerful enough where the rest of the fetuses were killed. And my birth……Zela…when I came out of my mother, I sent a high-voltage shock through her body accidentally, and she died once I came out…She never even saw me……Zela…I'm afraid that if my magical abilities are hereditable…these kittens might inherit them……and if they start to wield them while in the womb, they could kill each other…or possibly Victoria…"

Zelaphelia stared at the tuxedo tom for a few seconds, pondering over what he had just told her. At first, all she could think was that this was a veritable concern. She didn't know what she could to Misto to make him feel better. Magic…magic was a treacherous thing, and being a mystic wasn't exactly easy, especially knowing that your kittens could hold their own magic. Another reason to fear kitten birth…

^~*~^

The Warehouse had begun to empty inexplicably. It made Jezabella slightly disgusted that henchcats would either be leaving Macavity's services, or most of them were dead...actually, if one happened, the other would as well. Macavity never took being disavowed well, especially by his own agents. In a matter of a few weeks, the numbers of henchcats had reduced drastically from forties to twenties. Even some of the newer queens had left. Jezabella scoffed. Obviously, none of them could cope with the Napoleon of Crime. None of them, of course ended up with pretty fates. It surprised the Tonkinese queen that Macavity couldn't have been a little gentler with females, but she had been able to get closer to him for the past year, and learned more about him. How naïve she felt. Macavity wasn't as caring and amazing as she once thought. However, she still loved him. That kitten-like crush never died, and she doubted it ever would.

And thanks to her close relationship with the ginger tom, she was no longer just one of his queens. She had been promoted to an official. Though the training was intense, she learned how to control her own anger, like Macavity sometimes did, and she now had authority over some henchcats. Actually, she was now was responsible for training new recruits; some scraps of fur found on the streets, and the henchcat's kittens that had now come of age. Today, Macavity was going to promote three of them to the jobs he found most fitting. Jeza walked in calmly into her boss's den. It was quiet, as usual, and Macavity was sitting in his favorite black chair. He looked troublesomely ponderous. He drummed his claws harshly on the arm of the chair as his chin rested on his other paw. He looked up at her and glowered, "Jezabella." He greeted, "What is it now?"

The beige queen solemnly walked in, bowing her head as greeting to the ginger tom, "Three trainees are ready to be evaluated by you, sir."

Macavity rolled his eyes as he sat up. His claws had stopped drumming. "Fine then, send them in." he muttered.

Jeza bowed her head again, and then ran out the door. The three adolescents had been eagerly waiting outside of the ginger tom's den. She grinned as she examined them. Two were very brawny, and both were the darkest shade of black. She smiled at them, but then glanced at her third pupil. Although it was barely believable, he was older than the other two and was smaller. However, he was the cutest. He was a tortishell tom, black completely with burnt brown patches and auburn flecks. Not completely as good-looking as Macavity, but cute. Smiling, she called to her three pupils, "Ramloweram, Benthelo, Marcetheus, he's ready for you."

Quietly, the three eager looking toms filed in a single line. Jezabella smiled as she followed them through. As she sat down, nodding her head, the Tokinese queen found that Macavity had risen out of his chair, and looked slightly less than willing to be undergoing this procedure. He peered over the three of them, and then his face twisted in a scowl. His fury turned towards her, "Is this really the best you can do, Jeza?"-she was about to answer with a rebuttal, but Macavity quickly interrupted- "Never mind. Let me just get a good look at them." The ginger tom's eyes shifted as he studied the three young toms. The tension was strong in the room as they all looked down at the floor nervously. Jezabella held her breath as Macavity finally sat down and sighed, "You." He pointed to Ramloweram, the darker of the brawny twins, "Thief. You," he looked at the other half of the twins, Benthelo, "Assassin. And you," he stared at the medium sized Marcetheus and scowled, "You wouldn't even be fit enough to be a spy." He spat hatefully, "Guardsman."

Jezabella stared at the three toms. The twins looked fairly pleased with their positions, but Marcetheus seemed quite broken of spirit. Macavity grunted and turned towards Jezabella, "That is all. Dismissed." The three of them quickly bowed their heads and filed out in the same order.

The two twins started conversing with each other, happily bragging about their positions. They went ahead, with no thoughts of gratitude to give to Jezabella; their teacher! She scowled at them as they wandered up ahead; arrogant sons of bitches. Then the Tokinese queen bumped into Marcetheus, who looked slightly more morbid than usual. He stared at her quickly, then quickly flashed his eyes to the ground, "I'm sorry, Jezabella." He whispered.

The beige queen shook her head as her brow furrowed, "Don't apologize to me, Marceth. It's not becoming of you. Macavity is a wise tom, and he knows what's right for you. You should be happy that he didn't boot you out of the Warehouse, and believe me, he would."

The tortishell tom stayed silent, and seemed slightly ashamed, "I just can't believe I only made guardsman…"

Jezabella shook her head and rolled her eyes, "Look, your boss looks strictly at brawn, and unfortunately your peers happen to be quite heavily set. But what he missed was that you are much smarter _and politer_ than Ramlowe or Benthe. And besides, this isn't the end of training, just because he's assigned you a job in the Warehouse. If you prove yourself, he's sure to promote you. So don't look so down for now. You should be grateful my teachings have gotten you this far. In fact, if your parents weren't henchcats, he probably would have killed you in there. But he didn't, so he must have seen _some_ sort of quality that would be useful to him."

Marceth nodded sadly, and looked up at his teacher, "Thank you, Jezabella." He said. The Tokinese female smiled at him as she slung her arm around his shoulder.

"Don't worry Marceth," she assured casually, "This position might do you some good. And at the right point, your time will come…"

^~*~^


	6. Relentless Bewilderment

**A/N: So, I was actually feeling pretty discouraged by the lack of reviews, which is why I have to dedicate this next chapter to Malurina because she was the only one who did. ON WITH THE SHOW:**

"…_Zela…I'm afraid that if my magical abilities are hereditable…these kittens might inherit them…and if they start to wield them while in the womb, they could kill each other…or possibly Victoria…"_

_Zelaphelia stared at the tuxedo tom for a few seconds, pondering over what he had just told her. At first, all she could think was that this was a veritable concern. She didn't know what she could to Misto to make him feel better. Magic…magic was a treacherous thing, and being a mystic wasn't exactly easy, especially knowing that your kittens could hold their own magic. Another reason to fear kitten birth…_

_~^..^~_

Mistoffelees stared at the gold-red queen quietly, seeing the shock and pity in her eyes. However, he didn't want pity. He just needed for someone to understand how he felt right now, which wasn't going to happen with Zela, because even with her being a mystic, she was very naïve in these types of situations. Sure, she was intelligent for one thing, wise for another, but she wasn't the expert on how to birth mystical kittens. Jellyorum or Jennyanydots would probably be better second opinions. Still, he was glad that he could talk to Zela. He hadn't seen or heard from her in so long, and she was one of the only cats in the tribe that could understand him, excluding Tantomile and Coricopat. They barely ever talked to anyone anyway.

But it was the strangest of unspoken bonds ever to be realized, how mystical cats could link with each others. It was never brought to Zelaphelia's knowledge, but mystics could speak to each other through their minds. He would speak to the twins when it was important. They never liked having a mental intrusion, unless they did it to each other. And every once in awhile, Misto would try looking through Macavity's mind, just to see if he could find out what a criminal mastermind's psyche contained. In all attempts, the tuxedo tom would only be forced out by Macavity's mental barriers. After the first twenty times, Misto had given up, and that was a long time ago. And he never had attempted on reading Zela's mind.

She stared at him briefly, and then looked down at her paws that daintily sat in her lips. She blinked once or twice, "Misto…I…I'm sorry…I just…..I just thought you were happy…"

Misto grunted, glaring at nothing, "I am, Zela, I just…I'm don't want to see what happened to my mother happen to Victoria, even if all of the kittens survive. I'm not strong enough without her…. Zela, you just don't know what it feels like…losing the only one you could ever love…. I'm scared, Zel. I need her…"

Zelaphelia's lips curled back as she stared at the floor for awhile. "Well…what's the chance that she dies in labor?"

Misto shook his head painstakingly, "I don't know…it depends on if the kittens inherit magic. And it also depends on how many she's carrying. If there's more than five and they've all inherited, she doesn't stand a chance. If there are only a few, and one or two inherit…there's a lesser chance that any harm could come to her. I don't know…I just really need to make sure she's going to be alright."

"There's no way of telling any of this?" The gold-red queen asked curiously, "You can't get Cori and Tanti to see how many there are, or something like that?"

Misto's brow wrinkled a little, his thoughts turning toward a different idea, "Zela…I bet you could…well…I don't know if you could…but maybe you could look inside of Victoria; see how many fetuses there are?"

The gold-red queen's eyes popped, a smile cracked on her face and shook her head. She looked as if to be holding back a laugh. "No chance, Misto. I haven't even been seeking visions that often anymore. They'll come once in awhile, but I've refrained from looking anywhere so…odd."

Misto raised an eyebrow at her suspiciously, "Are you saying that you_ can't_ help in possibly save your sister's life, or you _won't_?" He felt a sudden rush of anger pass through him. She wouldn't do anything so heartlessly, would she?

Zela's eyes seem to swarm in guilt. She looked away from him, "I'm saying that…I don't know if I can…"-the tuxedo tom rolled his eyes. Zela must have caught a glimpse of this- "Hey! It's not that easy, Misto! I-…the truth is…I haven't been using my powers since I left the Junkyard. I was letting paranoia consume me…I was afraid that… Macavity may find me if I made myself conspicuous like that…And now, I'm afraid that if I try to use them…I might make a mistake…"

Mistoffelees wanted to laugh at her explanation, but avoided doing so. The gold-red female looked dead-serious. "Zela…" he inhaled sharply, "I don't think Macavity would have found you if you did or didn't use your powers. He could have caught you either way, but he didn't. You didn't encounter him, so maybe he's given up the chase." All of this was just an offered opinion, which he hoped she would understand.

Zela blinked a few times at the ground, and then looked up at him, with saddened eyes. And _he _was the one that was supposed need comfort now. "Misto…I've only told Munkustrap this, and I really need you to keep it to yourself …where I was staying this spring…the cats that I was living with were attacked by a Pollicle. He had an M- shaped scar on his neck. I can only assume he was a servant of Macavity's. That was the only time I ever had a run-in with one of Macavity's stooges this past year, and I left immediately after that…Mist, he _is _after me. I don't know what he's planning, or what he's going to do…but I'm scared. I've been too afraid to even try to get a vision into the Warehouse…"

Misto stared at the gold-red queen for a few seconds, unsure of what to say. If Macavity was still after her, the tuxedo tom knew they were going to see a lot more of him soon. He didn't need _magic _to see that. "Zela...I…" he sighed. No matter what he said, it probably wouldn't be convincing. "I think I need to tell you something…" he said, quickly changing the subject. He hadn't really thought about this, but Zela had told them something about how she defeated Macavity last autumn, and the way she explained it had disturbed Misto and both Cori and Tanti. They were all going to talk to her, but she had left before they had gotten the chance.

Zelaphelia looked up at Mistoffelees quietly. Her eyes were glimmering in interest. And it was those eyes…Those unusual eyes. They were violet…with specks of gold twisting around in her irises, beautiful, but unreal…unnatural. Misto stared at her eyes for a few seconds, "Zela, do you know what happened to your eyes?"

The gold-red queen's neck straightened as a shocked and slightly embarrassed look emptied onto her face. She blinked once or twice before looking away, "They…they changed the night I fought Macavity. I remember seeing them yellow for a few seconds, then they changed back to violet…I only noticed the gold specks a few weeks after that…"

Misto nodded quietly, still staring at her. "Zel…Tanti, Cori, and I talked about that fight you told us about. You said something about a…compulsion…and…voices in your head."

Zela nodded, confirming this. "Yes…I don't know what it was…but it just gave me this power, Misto…I thought it was some sort of…I don't know…mystical adrenaline rush…or something like that."

The tuxedo tom chuckled, "Don't be ridiculous Zela, there's no such thing…but I think what you experienced…it was very rare…and very dangerous…I'm not sure what it was…I may be a mystic, but I'm no expert..."

Zela brow furrowed, "But…you and Cori and Tanti…think it's dangerous?"

Misto shrugged, "It might have been. We're not sure if it could have killed you, but it was definitely powerful enough to kill anyone around you, even a mystic."

The gold-red queen paused for a few seconds, and then sighed, "I could have killed him…Macavity."

He nodded, "I know…but you didn't…I'm not sure it if it was right or wrong, but... that power that was given to you…it just changed your eyes…You never attempted it again, did you?"

She shook her head, "I'm not sure how it even occurred! How could I conjure it back up?"

He shrugged again, "I don't know…but I don't think it would be safe to try it again. Maybe we can talk to Tanti and Cori about it later…try to sort it out…"

Zela nodded and smiled at him, "Maybe we should…"

Mistoffelees smiled back at her, glad to see that his friend was in a better mood, and also glad because _he_ was in a better mood. In fact, he felt like he could look more positively towards the fact that he was going to become a father. He wasn't exactly sure how he was going to save Victoria, but he promised himself silently that he would, whatever it took. He had to save Vicky, and he would do anything to make sure she would survive this pregnancy. Suddenly, a presence entered into his den. Mistoffelees turned himself from the gold-red queen. His eyes lingered over the entrance, only to see Munkustrap wandering into view.

The silver tabby had a bit of a panicked expression as he rushed into the den, "Misto, I need you."

Misto and Zela stood up simultaneously. He walked over to Munkustrap, who was fidgeting nervously, "What's going on Munk?" he asked curiously.

The Jellicle guardian shook his head, obviously disgruntled, "I'll tell you about it when we get to Jelly's den." Munkustrap glanced over at gold-red queen quickly and took in some air, "Zela, you should come as well. We need all the help we can get."

The two young felines glanced at each other quickly, but then complied as the followed Munkustrap out of the den...

~^..^~

Etcetera sat next to Plato's side. He was shaking, but he was finally silent from that malevolent cackle. She brushed his paw with hers several times with a worried expression. She was scared, slightly happy, but also scared. Plato had asked her to accompany him at the Jellicle ball months ago, and she decided to oblige him, even though she still _really _wanted the Rum Tum Tugger to ask her. But he never did. The Curious Cat was too secluded to do that. And when Etcy had nearly lost hope in being asked to the ball, Plato came out of the shadows and found the confidence to ask her. She remembered smiling and embracing him happily. Despite her overwhelming crush on Tugger, she still liked Plato. And he never seemed to mind how garrulous she actually was, unlike the Maine coon, who had commented on it several times. Plato had always enjoyed her company actually, and as her love for Tugger slowly faded, a small crush began to form for the bi-color tom.

They had spent a long time together after he had asked her to the ball, and slowly, the light tabby queen realized she was falling for him. But she hadn't realized this until after he had disappeared. She remembered Munkustrap sending out search parties for him constantly, and Etcy tried to be apart of each one of them. They never found him though. And Old Deuteronomy never came back to tell them what to do. Munk seemed completely bewildered on the subject, and just stuck to his original plans of search parties. So far, all of them had failed, until now. Etcetera shook herself violently, feeling the cold perspiration drip off of Plato's paws. The sweat was rubbed onto hers, and the light tabby wanted to cry. She hated seeing Plato like this.

Jellyorum suddenly stepped in with Alonzo. The medicine queen seemed quite baffled. Her fur was flying everywhere as she attached herself to an old spice rack that had been filled with human medical books. As far as Etcy knew, there were only a number of Jellicles in the Junkyard that actually knew how to read human words. Jelly had required her daughter to learn. After all, how else would she take over for the older tabby after she passed on? Etcetera shook her head, patting Plato's paw once again. Alonzo came close to her, studying her solemn face. "Etcy, you okay?"

The young female nodded quietly as she stood up from Plato's side, "I'm fine…" she breathed.

The white and black tom smiled at her, and patted her on the back sympathetically. Alonzo really cared about his younger siblings. Etcy smiled at her older brother, noticing for the first time that she wasn't gabbing about any of this. In fact, this was the first time she was speechless. Suddenly, Munkustrap came into the den. Misto and Zelaphelia came in, standing close to the silver tabby.

Jellyorum noticed them come in, and suddenly slammed the book she was reading. "Finally!" she exclaimed, standing up and moving towards Munkustrap.

Misto stepped in closer, "Jelly? You don't look so good…" he commented lightly, noticing the medical queen's haggard appearance.

Jellyorum ignored him as she looked up at Munkustrap. She grunted, having a discontented look on her face, "Why did you bring Zela?" she asked in a whispered tone, "I thought you said you didn't want anyone else involved."

The silver tabby grimaced, "She might be able to help, and she was already with Misto when I found him, so I figured that she'd be asking about it later anyway. Besides, I want to tell the tribe as soon as we possibly can." Jellyorum grunted and shook her head disapprovingly. Munkustrap frowned, "Jelly, that's not even the issue." He said dryly, "You know I wouldn't have brought them if I didn't think we couldn't use their help."

The tuxedo tom finally came into the conversation, "What are you talking about Munk? What's going on?"

Zelaphelia seemed slightly uninterested what any of the Jellicles were saying, until she glanced over at Etcetera sitting next to Plato's side. Her gaze widened as she tentatively walked over to the unconscious tom's side. "Is that...Plato?"

Mistoffelees, now curious, walked up to Zela's side and looked down at the disabled tom's bed side. His jaw fell agape, "What the..."

The gold and red queen looked over at her fellow mystic, "I thought you said he was missing." She said inquisitively.

Misto was still staring at Plato, "He was…"

Munkustrap walked up to the two of them, "And then obviously he was found. Alonzo brought him here, but he was slightly…different."

Etcetera let out a small mumble of sorrow. Zela's violet eyes study the unconscious tom, "What happened to him?"

Alonzo, still at the younger light tabby's side shrugged, "I'm not sure. I found him, bloody and bruised, and he was…laughing…horridly laughing…and his eyes were red… He was just… insane…"

Jellyorum flipped through her book again, and then paused at a page. Etcy noticed this as Zelaphelia and Mistoffelees were conversing lightly about Plato's strange behavior. For mystics, they weren't as mysterious and secretive as most of their type was considered to be. The fact that Zela kept mainly to herself was just her personality, never really a considerable trait of mysticism. The conversation between them paused as the light tabby's mother gasped. "I FOUND IT!" she proclaimed successfully, slightly looking crazed and exhausted, "This is a variation of a typical neurological _and _physical disease. It's almost like an illusion of pain, to put in understandable terms, but this toxin that's coursing through his veins is changing how his blood vessels in his brain react to the blood flow. It's causing major distress to vital cavities in his brain, thus giving him this mirage that he's in pain, and those muscle spasms are completely an overriding of body over mind. He's not control of his own actions. This disease was commonly referred to as the Insanity. It's a mental disorder, usually not causing harm to the body physically…not unless the mind is being completely bent over…"

All five cats stared at the medical queen, in bewilderment. The description of this so-called, toxin was entirely stimulating. Etcetera stared at her mother in amazement. Only an hour or so of studying of few books, and she already found a diagnosis. The light tabby smiled, feeling slightly proud of her fatigued looking mother. Jellyorum collapsed quickly in a chair as she slammed the book shut.

After a few moments pause, Munkustrap was the first to speak, "Okay…okay…good…we found a diagnosis…. Jelly does your book say anything about a cure?"

The medical queen looked up and stared at the Jellicle guardian, as if what he asked should be common knowledge. Then, after a long silence of pondering, Jellyorum dropped her head, "There was no cure found for the disease, and it is said to stay with its victim until death. Reactions could be different, based upon what's in control and what's not, and my professional opinion is that…if the toxin takes over long enough, Plato's insanity will take over and later kill him in an untimely death…"

They all suddenly lowered their heads, looking less confident and more hopeless. Etcy couldn't believe that there was no cure for the accursed toxin that was in Plato's blood. The one tom she _truly _liked was hereby dubbed insane. The light tabby closed her eyes as Alonzo put a comforting paw around his little sister's shoulder. She turned away from him, crying in the unconscious bi-colored tom's paw. She heard a sentence or two of morose sympathy. The voices sounded like the two mystics combined. They showed utmost sadness for her.

Little Etcetera's head rose as she clutched her formerly future mate, "What did this to you…?" she asked in a hushed whisper, not even loud enough for anyone to hear. But everyone already knew who it was. Plato had obviously been a victim of Macavity. There was no question of it, and the light tabby queen would have held on to her angered and hateful feelings for the stupid ginger tom, if it wasn't for the fact that she was too devastated to do so. Suddenly, Etcy felt a twitch; a slight tremor of movement in Plato's paw. She dropped it on the table, and became slightly terrified, flinching back in her seat and screeching. Alonzo gripped her shoulder, studying her facial expression. His gaze quickly followed hers as she looked down. It was at this, that everyone in the den realized that Plato was moving.

Jellyorum moved as fast as her feet could carry her as she gestured Etcetera forward. The light tabby wittingly complied as she walked with her mother across the small den, but still staring at the squirming tortishell tom. Jelly growled impatiently, thrusting the bottle of morphine drugs into her daughter's hands.

"If he should act the same way he did," she whispered to Etcy, "Be sure to be ready with that stuff." The medical queen quickly handed her daughter a piece of cloth and nodded at her.

The two queens gingerly walked forward together as they prepared for the worst. Jellyorum paced quietly in front of Plato. She felt his pulse first, and then opened his eyelid, checking for swelling. The moment she released the thumb from the upper eyelid, the bi-colored tom exhibited a fully conscious display of palpebration. It was clear at this point that Plato was fully awake, and surprisingly, he seemed…normal. No demented laughing, nor violent muscle spasms. Nothing. Etcy stared at the tortishell tom for the longest times, tentative…but slightly happy…

~^..^~

Plato could barely gather the traces of his mind together again. It took hours of enduring intense pain to finally find that he was conscious…just not…awake. The tortishell tom reasoned with himself, hoping that his pain was temporary, but a more logical side knew better. The pain was still numbing his entire body. The tip of his tongue tasted bitter, and the blood pumping through his veins felt slower. His breaths came out huffed and jagged. His eyelids blinked a few times, and the only thing he saw were six silhouetted faces all unfocused and in threes. Plato's head spun as if the pain in his chest was pounding against his whole body, making him dizzy. It took him a few minutes before he could process a few words to sputter, "Wh-a wha- what…hap-pened…?" he asked. The pain filled the empty cavities of his body. It felt like someone was sawing his head from the inside. He had never experienced this type of gruesome aching in his entire life.

A wavering voice suddenly spoke to him, "Plato! Plato…Are you awake? Speak to us, Plato!" It sounded a lot like Alonzo's voice…or it could have been Jellyorum.

The tortishell tom hacked up something. He could feel his gums bleeding and his arms in a restraining device. He wasn't sure why his arms and legs were restrained, but he was pretty sure his head was pummeling his body. As he stared around the room in a panicked fit, his eyes suddenly came back into focus, and the light dimmed on the dark figures that surrounded him. The faces lit up like candles as Plato recognized each Jellicle. Etcy was the first that his eyes lay upon. She looked like she had been crying, but she seemed to be smiling at him. Next to her, Alonzo stood, looking half confused. Then around the table, Jellyorum was studying him upside-down, Munkustrap and Misto were at the side, both expressing the same amount of being startled and disturbed. The last of the brood of revealed identities was the most confusing to the tortishell tom. The face was unfamiliar, at first, but then he realized it was the one queen who had started strange turn of events last fall, Zelaphelia. Plato started to remember everything he could from when she was here. He hadn't known the gold-red queen that well, but he knew she had caused much distress.

Plato lay flat on the table, feeling confused, woozy, and somewhat sick. He quickly muffled out some words, "Whaaaa…? Iyye'm…how…" he mumbled under his breath. He was trying to talk, but his throat felt like a fire was burning inside of it. He felt the pain in his body slowly start to settle.

"He's awake." Jellyorum said quietly to the others. A round of nods circled him in agreement. The medical queen looked back down at him, "You're alright, Plato. You're alright…just…stay calm, and…everything will be fine."

Plato stared up at her confusedly. His eyes began to open wider. "What…happened to me…?" he asked, confused, and having a horrible headache.

Jellyorum didn't answer his question. Instead, Etcetera gently touched his face, "Nothing…just get some rest."

But Plato ignored her request; instead, he attempted to sit up. The restraints, however, barely allowed him to raise his head. "Please…" he coughed, "What's going on? What happened…"

Alonzo spoke quickly, meeting his friends wandering eyes, "Plato, something happened when we found you. You…you…went mad…kind of."

The tortishell tom frowned, raising an eyebrow, "went…mad?"

Jellyorum finally spoke, meeting his face right-side up next to Munkustrap, "Plato, you are suffering from the reactions of a toxin. Hopefully what had happened was the largest effect. How do you feel?"

Plato needed to scratch his head, but found the restrain still holding his arm. He quickly asked to be let go before answering the question. Jellyorum and Etcy complied quickly, releasing him from the strong Velcro restraints. Plato sat up, rubbing his wrists achingly. And then suddenly a pain swept through his body. He let out a painful growl. Etcy put a concerned paw on his shoulder, as did Jellyorum and Munkustrap. The pain quickly settled in his body. He felt his paws numb and his forehead breaking in a new production of perspiration. He suddenly remembered the medical cat's question, "I feel…like crap." He said honestly. "My whole body is aching, and I have a relentless…headache…and there's this…shooting pain…that…shifts all around my body…Ah Heavyside, it hurts..."

Etcetera helped to support Plato's upper body. He gripped her tiny paw, feeling the pain shoot up through his neck. They came too often and twice as harsh in every session. The tortishell tom smiled at the young light tabby graciously. Everyone in the circle started chatting at him about his current state and what was going to happen. Plato got swept into his own thoughts. Plato had grown a deep affection for Etcy. He loved how quirky and sweet she was. Sometimes she was a bit of a popinjay, but only when Tugger was around, or hanging around Jemima and Victoria and such. Other than that, she was completely charming to him. Like a distant, more eccentric version of Bombalurina. It took some weeks to develop some self-confidence and begin to talk to her, though it wasn't necessarily that hard because she would do most of the talking. But it took even longer to ask her to the ball. But she seemed a bit crushed because she couldn't get Tugger's attention too closely. Plato took it as a stroke of maturity, though she had made it adherently clear to the both of them that she still really liked Tugger. And he respected this in a way. Even Victoria, who had mated with Misto, still had an interesting adoration for the Curious Cat. They all knew it was kitten behavior and besides, everyone knew that Tugger had an 'irresistible' charm on queens.

Well, Etcy seemed pretty attached to the tortishell after awhile, almost forgetting about Tugger and everything seemed better, but then he had gotten himself kidnapped. He remembered enduring long nights of torture, thinking about his mother, about Etcy, and the whole tribe looking for him. He had high hopes that someone from the Junkyard would find him. But day in and day out, he sat in a dark room, experiencing side-effects of weapon and torture method experiments, and no one came. And then, not only a couple of days ago, he remembered having his tormenters come into his room and stabbing him in his wrists with a sharp needle; one that looked like something his mother would use for sewing. Then everything went black and that was when he found himself at the Junkyard.

That was when Plato remembered something: his mother. Jennyanydots. She must have been beside herself with panic and worry during his absence. The tortishell tom looked up at Jellyorum and Munkustrap. His whole body still ached with the intense pain, but he ignored it, "My mother," he started, "Where is she? How has she been?"

The two adults looked at him for a second, then stared at each other, then looked away uncomfortably. They sat in an embarrassing and awkward silence, and Plato didn't want to accept that as an answer. He sat himself up, still relying on Etcy's support. Just when he was about to repeat his question, a high voice suddenly shrieked from the door way. Everyone's head turned to the entrance. And just like that, it was speak of the devil. Jennyanydots stood there, using the wall of cement blocks to hold her weight, as if she was about to collapse from shock.

The Gumbie Cat quickly strode into the den, looking both shocked, happy, and in complete disbelief. "PLATO!" she screeched, pushing Munkustrap out of her way and embracing her son tightly. Plato cringed in pain. This was worse than what he actually felt with this toxin. "Mum…" he chocked out, "…PAIN." Jenny finally released the tortishell tom mouthing the word sorry and still cradling his upper body in her arms as if he was a kitten. "Plato…Oh, Heavyside, where have you been?" she asked gently holding him as if she would never let go.

Suddenly, Jenny looked up at Munkustrap with a serious face, "How long has he been here?" she asked quickly.

Munkustrap stared at the ground for a few moments before speaking, "A few hours…We weren't sure what was-"

"A FEW HOURS!" she suddenly screeched, "You should have told me the MOMENT he came back!"

"Jenny, calm down!" Munkustrap shouted back. The Gumbie cat reluctantly stopped her shrieks. He continued, "Now we did find him, and we were going to tell you when we thought it was right, but he was infected by a poison that we suspect may have been susceptible to him when he was kidnapped. And we weren't sure how you would have reacted if you saw what had happened to him."

Plato raised an eye curiously at Munkustrap, and then stared around the room at the neutral faces. What exactly had he done when everything darkened? Jenny suddenly looked up from her son, and over to Alonzo, who looked exhausted by this excitement. "Alonzo, I almost forgot," she started calmly, "Cassandra's just gone into labor with her kittens."

The black and white tom jumped up as his eyes widened, "WHAT?" He rolled his eyes upward and through his arms in the air in frustration, "Everlasting Cat, what's next?" he exclaimed. At first, he was about to talk back to Jennyanydots, but then seeing her still fawning over her son, he turned to Jellyorum. "Please help." He begged his mother. Jellyorum sighed, but reluctantly moved. She quickly asked Zelaphelia and Mistoffelees to assist her. They looked at each other slightly concerned, but reluctantly followed her out of the den, with Alonzo close beside them. Plato, Jennyanydots, and Munkustrap were left alone to discuss everything that had happened during his mental absence…

~^..^~


	7. The New Generation

**A/N: So, I realized that I have been making an incorrect preference to what type of feline that Plato is, which has been bugging me all day. You'll have to excuse me for being inaccurate as far as cat breeding goes. He's actually not a tortishell, like my OC, Marceth here, who is an all black with color specking his coat. No, Plato happens to be all-white with colored patches, which would make him a **_**calico**_**, so just to clear up any confusion…**

"_Cassandra's just gone into labor with her kittens."_

_The black and white tom jumped up as his eyes widened, "WHAT?" He rolled his eyes upward and through his arms in the air in frustration, "My God, what's next?!" he exclaimed. At first, he was about to talk back to Jennyanydots, but then seeing her still fawning over her son, he turned to Jellyorum. "Please help." He begged his mother. Jellyorum sighed, but reluctantly moved. She quickly asked Zelaphelia and Mistoffelees to assist her. They looked at each other slightly concerned, but reluctantly followed her out of the den, with Alonzo close beside them. Plato, Jennyanydots, and Munkustrap were left alone to discuss everything that had happened during his mental absence…_

~^..^~

Two weeks passed in the excited city; two long and tedious weeks for Marcetheus after he had finally received his job from Macavity; his most admired idol. Well…next to Jezabella of course. She had always been so nice to him. But now, his entire opinion of the ginger tom had changed completely. He still couldn't believe that his master had given him the least respectable function in the Warehouse. _A guardsman…_the tortishell tom thought to himself with disgust. He shook his head feeling his disgruntled head begin to hurt. He wasn't proud of the position Macavity had decided to put him in, but he was clinging onto what his mentor had said about how it could do him good, and how he could learn from the experience. He was completely dependant on those words alone. Jezabella had been a good teacher to him, and to his peers, Ramloweram and Benthelo.

Those two were brothers, practically bred for the type of job they received. Ben had an unusual and sick way of killing a cat, most likely had something to do with the way that Macavity killed. Marceth wondered why he wasn't a torturer instead of an assassin. He enjoyed describing his methods to Ramlowe or Jezabella or him. He always bragged about how if he ever saw one of the Jellicles on their side of the city, he would use his worst of slow and painful deaths on them, if he ever got his claws on one. All of the Warehouse cats felt the same way about the Junkyard tribe. They were weak, spineless, and could very easily be controlled if their defenses weren't so strong. That was the only reason Macavity hadn't taken over the tribe yet. He was still waiting for enough of the strongest of his henchcats to build up into an army that would be able to defeat them. However, the numbers of the Warehouse cats had lessened since Marceth's parents had left. They'd gone on an undercover mission for Macavity for what nearly seemed like a year now, and had left their only son in the hands of one of the last female mentors that Macavity had appointed. Jezabella.

For the past few years, Jeza had been training him, and the twin henchcats, Ramlowe and Ben, in the ways of physical combat and attack mechanisms. She wasn't as good as Macavity or any of his assassins, but she was very knowledgeable. And the three of them had also learned from more of the Hidden Paw's workers. They all taught the young toms how Macavity was with Jellicles, but knowing how much potential he really had over London. His influence had grown over the years, and the Jellicles, being the gutless worms they were, saw him as a threat because he was becoming so powerful, so they banished him for good from the tribe, but the Mystery Cat knew that they had to be taken over, so they wouldn't cause too much trouble in London. However, Jeza and many other henchcats had warned the three of them while growing-up that this vendetta had made the ginger tom extremely malice and bitter towards any cat that merely looked at him funny. The fear Macavity had bestowed upon the city was terrifying.

That was why Marceth had been so nervous to be in front of the Hidden Paw. He had heard so many stories about him from henchcats, and it was beyond intimidating to even be in the same room with him. He had looked up to the ginger tom through-out his adolescence, but now, after completely killing his confidence of being an accomplished henchcat, Marceth wasn't so sure. But Macavity's ruling on his job wasn't as hard as the _actual _position. The dark tortishell tom had to stay in the darkness of the underground catacombs that Mystery Cat had built years ago to hold his prisoners. It was a long cement wall that was closed off by a long chain of black steel bars. Each cell was separated by an impregnable vertical wall. It was so perfectly symmetrical; foolproof even. If any of the Jellicles stepped out of place, there was no way they'd escape. However, there were no Jellicles in the cells, just some old and crazed Siamese toms that were enemies to Macavity and had captured before Marceth was born. It was one less tribe of cats to worry about. But young cat was spending his job watching these insane prisoners rot in their chains. It wasn't exactly a good leisure for him. Most of the cell space was saved up for the Jellicles that Macavity planned on imprisoning. That would be fun to watch.

The tortishell tom sat upstairs in one of the apartments that had been left for him. Since Ramlowe and Ben got a higher ranking status, they had moved out of it and into more fitting quarters for 'real' agents for the Napoleon of Crime. Marcetheus grumbled unappeasably. He hated his life right now. He was still in these disgusting henchcat quarters he thought he would be moving out of, his position in the Warehouse kept him in the dark during the long hours of the day. He had some lack of sleep, since Macavity had him running extra shifts at night. Marceth was actually one of the last of the Hidden Paw's guardsmen. His older ones had died under mysterious circumstances. The older torturers had said that was code for: their throats were slit for provoking their boss. The young tom decided it was best if he stayed fairly obtuse and quiet about his position for the past few weeks, and he had gotten used to the daily routine.

Sometimes he'd come and talk to his mentor. Jezabella was really the only one who understood him. She was great; his only real friend around the Warehouse. Ever since the twins got their positions, they had gotten a lot cockier, acting as if they were a higher lifestyle than him. Marceth suddenly noticed two black toms coming into his den out of the corner of his eye. How ironic; Ramlowe and Ben.

"Really Marceth?" the darker of the twins, Ramlowe started, "Have you just been hanging around this dump all day? Don't you have work to do?" The jeering wasn't half as annoying as the weird smirks on both their faces

"I'm pretty sure _neither _of you are my boss…" the tortishell tom grumbled, fiddling with his thumbs and sitting on his bed, annoyed and upset by the entrance of his former friends.

Ben came up alongside his brother and started mocking with him, "True, but at least our jobs are out in the sunlight. Actually Marceth, I feel sorry for you; having to live in a dungeon the rest of your life. Must be sad, knowing you're never actually going to realize how fulfilling life is…_above _ground."

A few snickers passed between the twins. Marceth rolled his eyes, "_Really_ Benthelo? Care to enlighten me?"

The smoky black tom shrugged, "Well, for instance, _we _get to spend as much time as we want around the queens' den. Do you know how _steamy_ it gets in our apartments, Marceth? I don't think there was a queen that came out without the skin under her being completely red, don't you think Ramlowe?"

Ramlowe smirked, "I have to agree with you there. Around the queens' den, we're studs."

Marceth snorted at the toms as he grinned at the twins, "And that's supposed to be saying something about you hellcats? Everyone knows that any queen that's been connected to Macavity is a complete harlot."

Benthelo and Ramloweram suddenly became unnaturally serious, "You shouldn't be talking that way about our boss." Ben said matter-of-factly.

The tortishell tom spat on the floor near the twins' feet, "Since when do you care Ben?" he shot at him venomously, recalling how the black tom always became so rebellious with Jezabella and how to engage in a fight. He could never play fair to save his life.

Ben's expression didn't change, "He's given us a good place in the Warehouse…" he murmured. Then his smirk reappeared, "_You_ should be glad he didn't kick you out of the Warehouse for being such a wuss."

The tortishell tom scowled at the twins as pleasant mocking grins was exchanged between them. "Just get out of here." He said in an ominously quiet tone.

Ramlowe laughed at him later, "We'll come visit you in the underground sometime; if the lack of sunlight hasn't got you too spooked, that is" He said cheerfully, heading for the door with Ben behind him. "Maybe bring a queen down for ya, I mean, if she actually takes a_ guardsman_." The toms laughed again humorously at the jeering of their former friend. "See ya Marceth!" Ben shouted out behind his shoulder, "Good luck in the underworld!"

The tortishell tom dived down, burying his face into a pillow. "Jerks." His muffled voice let out quietly. Without thinking on it, Marceth punched his fist into the brick wall, actually not caring about the pain. All he felt was the hate for those two idiots. "Hate them." He said to himself.

"I can see why." A low masculine voice suddenly commented. Marceth lifted his face from the pillow and looked up at the entrance. To his complete shock and astonishment, he saw the actual Napoleon of Crime leaning against his door frame with an amused smirk on his face. The ginger tom strode into the den looking intrigued by the young tom, "You seem pretty despondent around my new agents…Marcetheus, isn't it?"

The tortishell tom was stifled, unsure of what to say to the _Hidden Paw._ With shock taking a hold of his throat, he quickly nodded. The ginger tom chuckled and continued, "Seems like I have a poor choice in toms, ignorant as they are… but strong. Good choices to lead an army. Still…I need able toms at the Warehouse. Your mentor, Jezabella recommended you to me. Wouldn't stop nagging me." The ginger tom grimaced, but then continued, "Anyway, I think I remember you. You were the brat of a couple of my agents that I sent out north for a mission. Didn't realize a couple of street cats like them could actually be useful, or their kit for that matter. Tell you what…Marcetheus… I have an important prisoner that I expect to be coming one day this week. I've observed your guarding. Pretty pathetic. You're extremely lethargic on duty, but hey, I'm an understanding tom. So, when this prisoner comes in, I'm expecting you not to disappoint me." The ginger tom started to back away, "Figured I should forewarn you; you being my only guardsman left, and a poor excuse for one as well, and me not having that many prisoners. I'll give you more information when my prisoner gets here."

The Napoleon of Crime smirked at the tortishell tom, and then swiftly left the room without anything else to say about his enigmatical statement. Marcetheus leaned back on the wall; feeling like electricity had shot through him. Incredible. Macavity the Mystery Cat had just told him about his first mission. Jeza had been right. His time had come…

^~*~^

Zela was leaning against the wall of the queens' den at the Junkyard with an amused smile on her face. Cassandra had given birth to six healthy kittens two weeks ago. It made the gold-red queen completely harmonious to be seeing how happy the Siamese queen was. And Alonzo was allowed into the queens' den for visiting purposes. It was around this time that the mates were going to pick names for their kittens. It had been an equal amount of both genders in the litter, and the older queens were looking forward on helping.

Zelaphelia had decided to stay at a distance away from the fussing over kittens. She still liked the sight of them, but inside, she envied the newborns. They were going to grow up with a mother and a father and home. The gold-red queen had had her mother for one year during her kittenhood, and then spent the rest of her life scouting for food, searching for shelters from harmful weather, and living on the streets with the threat of being killed by something bigger than her. It was an amazement that she had survived as a stray for so long. But she didn't trust many cats back then, and she'd _never _trusted humans. Zela growled to herself. Cassie's kittens better not complain about this lifestyle, not with how hard _she_ had it when she was their age.

Zelaphelia observed the new family. The six kittens were gathered around the dark Siamese queen, all so energetic, already beginning to move. What was scary was the fact that Zela and Misto had helped Cassie tremendously during her labor and then some. She thought about the experience for few minutes, needing to keep herself preoccupied,

~~~~(two weeks ago)~~~~

_Jellyorum had rushed out of her medical den, having Misto, Alonzo, Etcy and the gold-red queen accompany her. Zela wasn't exactly sure why she was needed. Misto was coming because he magic may be able to sooth Cassandra during her labor pains. Etcy was there because she was the future medical queen, and needed to learn how to birth kits and this situation with the heavily pregnant queen was a perfect opportunity. Alonzo was there for obvious reasons: his mate was about to give birth. Zela wasn't really sure why she was needed, but she would come anyway. _

_The gold-red queen grunted as the five of them sprinted to the queens' den where Cassandra was lying on the ground in a panic. Bombalurina was there comforting her. As was Victoria and Demeter. Jellyorum quickly rushed over to the Siamese queen's side and shooed the others away, "Back up!" she ordered, "Give her some air!"_

_The old tabby queen started working herself, putting Cassie in a correct position for birthing her kits. She had Etcy assist her. The poor young tabby looked like she was going to faint over in excitement. Bomba, Demeter, and Vic had backed away at a fairly far amount of distance, observing the medical queen. Jelly quickly called to the magician, "Mistoffelees, use a spell. Any spell you have that can calm her down." _

_The young magician grunted as he rushed forward, whispering a mysterious incantation as he moved his unsteady paws around Cassie, as if he was sourcing the energy in her body. The Siamese queen was beginning to breathe more calmly, but her facial expression showed that she was still feeling pain. Jelly blinked before propping Cassandra's legs across the ground, trying to find something to support them with. She grabbed a few hard cover books and stacked them on top of each other. Etcy then placed them under the laboring queen's feet and rushed to her side. Jellyorum grunted, "They're coming pretty quickly…" Zelaphelia had been standing there awkwardly, watching, until Jelly finally called to her. "Zela, please help her calm down." She said. _

_The gold-red queen blinked, feeling that the order was vague. How was she supposed to help in anyway? But feeling that it was an order, she complied. As she rushed to Cassandra's side, she smiled, trying to speak as soothing of words that she could think of, "Okay, Cassie. You're alright. You're doing great. Jelly said that the kittens are coming-"_

_Zela suddenly stopped feeling Cassandra's sharp claws beginning to embed onto the surface of her skin as she gripped her paw violently. The gold-red queen was forced to lean down as the Siamese queen growled in her ear, "I know what she said!" she exclaimed, breathing in and out at a dangerously fast pace. "Just hold my paw." Zela nodded accordingly, feeling that this was an easy enough task to perform, until Jellyorum proclaimed:"The first one is coming Cass, you have to push."_

_Cassandra suddenly growled in pain, sweat dripping off her forehead as she winced. Zelaphelia felt her paw suddenly hurting as they were slowly beginning to be crushed by the Siamese female's strong grip. She swallowed hard, holding in a yowl, "Ahhh…!" she let out, feeling pain zap through her arm._

_Cassie suddenly shot a death-glare at her, "Don't you dare act like you're in more pain than I AM!" she cried, gripping her hand harder, "YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT REAL PAIN IS!"_

_Jelly suddenly shouted at the Siamese queen, "Cassie, you need to push harder!"_

_The Siamese queen continued to do as the medical queen asked, only causing more pain in Zela's paw. Mistoffelees had apparently decided to be masochistic, and hold onto Cassandra's other paw. The gold-red queen saw him in much pain as she was. However, Cassie seemed to be in the most pain at the moment, until she finally let out a gasp of relief and released their paws. A weak cry of a small newborn kitten could be heard crying around the room. Jelly smiled as she held up the kit proudly, "It's a tom-kit."_

_The gold-red female let out a sigh, as she rubbed her aching paw. She observed Misto doing the same thing. Thank Everlasting Cat that THAT was over. Alonzo finally stepped forward as he gently cradled his new son in his arms. He came over to Cassandra and showed the little squirming thing to her. The Siamese queen smiled as she gripped her son, but then suddenly gave him back to her mate, looking as though she had experienced a painful electrical shock. Jellyorum stood up, still highly active as she came up to Cassie. "There must be more coming." She said. Zelaphelia had barely heard this statement until she felt her paw being gripped again by Cassandra. The same pain suddenly shot through her arm… _

They repeated that process five other times until Jellyorum finally proclaimed that that was left of the kittens. Zela didn't have to endure that much pain five times though. Alonzo had taken over halfway, seeing that she was in major pain from Cassie's grip. But by the time it was over, everyone in the room was exhausted.

That had been two weeks ago, and the kittens were growing. The gold-red queen had watched in horror as Jelly had acted as the midwife, and Etcy as the assistant midwife, and Misto and her being hand-holders of the mother. Zela mentally noted that she would never take on that role during the birthing process _ever _again. But it had been worth it in the end. Cassie and Alonzo had six lovely little kittens. Zela watched peacefully as the two mates, Victoria, Mistoffelees, Demeter, and Bombalurina all gathered around the little things, fussing over them and acting as if they were the most important matter in the Junkyard. They were about to choose names, which Munkustrap said was essential. But Munk wasn't exactly Zela's favorite cat at the moment. He still hadn't told the rest of the tribe about Plato being back. He had actually seemed to be keeping to himself for quite awhile. He didn't talk to anyone, except going into Jelly's den to check on the impaired tom, and occasionally spoke to Jennyanydots on the matter. Zela had tried to tell him for that past week to explain everything to the tribe, but he would always respond that he was too busy or that he was still trying to sort things out. The gold queen grimaced. Was Munkustrap actually…scared to tell the tribe about Plato?

Suddenly, a long arm extended across the back of the gold-red female and slung around her shoulder. Zela's head jerked sharply in surprise, but then smiled, seeing that it was just Tugger. She purred, "Hey you." He purred back as a greeting, and smirked at her. The Curious Cat and she had grown extremely close in the past week. He came often into her new den, and they'd talk. Most of the time, he'd flirt, and she'd play his game with him, but there were times when they got serious. Zela wanted more than anything to tell Tugger about Plato, the thought of the calico tom rotting her conscious, but Munkustrap had sworn her, Misto, Jelly, Etcetera, Teazer, Mungo, Deme, and Jenny all to secrecy. No one else would know anything about Plato's return.

This didn't bother her too much, because Zela didn't have to talk as much. Tugger would usually do the talking, and she would listen. She was just fine with this process. The Maine Coon grinned at her, and then observed the scene of Cassandra and her kittens. No one noticed them together, them being in the shadows. "So, did you just get bored and decided to watch kittens get smothered?"

The gold-red queen chuckled, shaking her head and looking back at the small family, the rest of the queens, and Misto. "Not exactly." She replied, "They're naming the kittens."

"Hm." The curious cat mumbled, "Anything interesting yet?" He purred huskily into her ear, rubbing up against her head.

Zela giggled, shooing the leopard-spotted tom away from her face as she smiled, "Stop it now!" she exclaimed playfully, "They've just started…… Now shush-up, I want to listen."

Tugger grunted annoyingly. He normally was never told what to do, and even if he was, he never listened to it. The Maine coon wasn't accustomed to this in the least, but he had been complying for Zela. She was happy about this, and enjoyed the Curious Cat actually listening to her. The two cats listened as the two mates began. Cassandra picked up her oldest son, a little patched tom that resembled Alonzo, but there was a bigger black blotch on his face and dark smudges of brown on his left leg. Misto grinned, walking over to the Siamese queen and ruffling the tom-kit's newly grown fur. "He's a mystic, Cassie." He explained, resting his paw on the kitten's head, "Not as strong a power as mine would be, but once his magic's fully developed, he maybe able to read minds or telepath to non-mystics. Quite useful, if you ask me." One of Misto's many powers was the ability to prophesize what a mystic's power would be. The Siamese queen smiled happily at her son, cradling him in her arms, "Giacomo…" she whispered, looking up at her mate. "He looks so much like you, Lonz…"

Alonzo gently wrapped his arm around Cassandra's shoulder, gazing at his son, "He's perfect…" he commented. Suddenly, the black-white tom looked up at Mistoffelees, "You'll be the godfather, won't you Misto? After all, he's going to need a teacher when he can start using magic."

The tuxedo tom blinked, and looked taken a back, as if not expecting the offer, "I'd be honored! Of course I will."

Cassandra smiled, putting the little tom back with his littermates, and then picked up her oldest female. A tortishell queen-kit with light ginger patches covering her whole backside and several dark spots speckled across it. She was a beauty, indeed. Cassandra chuckled, studying her daughter, "She looks like a little lark…" she commented humorously. The Siamese queen suddenly looked as if she had gotten an idea, "Kalendre."

Alonzo nodded accordingly, "It's graceful…exotic…it suits her." He took his eldest daughter in his arms, scratching her chin in a fatherly like manner.

Cassandra picked up a scrawny grey tom with a shiny black head fur striped shortly onto his shoulder blade. He was probably the most handsome of the tom-kits. "Lazarus…" Cassie said quickly. The little kitten grinned at his mother mischievously before trying to swipe at her face. Cassandra quickly put him down, patting him on the head.

Tugger bent down to Zela, "Maybe that one's actually _my_ tom…" he joked in a sly whispered tone. Zela scoffed at his jeering and elbowed him in the ribs, "Shut up!" she ordered, still smiling.

Alonzo had handed his daughter to Bombalurina, who he had happily claimed as the godmother, and scooped up his next kit; the middle kit actually; a silvery white queen. The little thing had been twisting around as if she were already learning how to dance. "Arjetta?" He quickly suggested. He looked to Cassie for confirmation. She nodded after a moment's pause of pondering. "It's sweet…very unique…" she commented lightly.

The black-white tom smiled, looking at his daughter in the eyes, "And I'm going to be spoiling _you_ rotten!" he said happily. The little queen-kit mewled at him confusedly. Alonzo smiled, putting his daughter in Vicky's arms.

The Maine Coon seemed not being able to resist a chuckled, "Looks like the daddy's girl has been chosen." He whispered.

Zela didn't even comment this time. She simply shushed him. Cassandra continued by picking up her youngest son. He was a smoky black, resembling his mother with an aura of white faded in the darkness of his head fur. The Siamese queen seemed completely serious at the look of that kit. "Delano…" she said quietly. For some reason unknown to Zela, there was almost a melancholy tone to Cassie's voice as she spoke the name. Alonzo took the tom from her gently, studying his sun with a certain appease. He didn't seem to notice her mood changing.

Tugger had though, "Well, now what's going on? I don't get any of this." He said quietly.

The gold-red queen huffed as she turned to him sharply with an annoyed smirk on her face, "Are you ever going to shut up?" she asked with mild amusement.

The Curious Cat shrugged, "No." he replied simply. Zela grunted as she shook her head at her feet. "Maybe we should-"

Suddenly, a paw grasped Tugger's shoulder and spun him around. The leopard-spotted tom looked around confusedly before seeing that it was Munkustrap. Zelaphelia hid behind the Curious Cat, but hadn't the slightest doubt that the silver tabby had already seen her. She had certainly seen him, and he didn't exactly portray the picture of health. He looked like he was completely overworked. There were dark shadows under his eyes, and his paws were shaking slightly. "I need to talk to you for a minute, Tugger." He said, his teeth gritted in agitation. Before the Curious Cat could respond, Munk started dragging his brother by the arm away from Zela.

The gold-red queen stared after them confusedly, curious as to what Munk needed to say to Tugger, and also why he looked so irritated. What had Tugger done? Before she could quiz herself further, a voice called out her name, "Hey, Zel!" Zela spun around. Vicky had seen her. Everyone else's head turned to see the gold-red female. Cassandra waved, and then gestured her to come into the den.

Reluctantly, she did. Demeter stood up, having the little tom-kit, Delano in her hands. The gold queen cradled him in one arm, and then gently grasped her daughter's shoulder, bringing her closer into the room. "Have you been watching?" her mother asked curiously.

Zela's head wavered, but hesitantly changed to a nod. Demeter grinned, "Why didn't you say something?"

The gold-red queen shrugged; the thought of Tugger was in the back of her mind, "Something was keeping me occupied." She explained vaguely.

Her mother gave her a puzzled look, but smiled and shrugged, "They're naming the last kitten, now…" she pointed out. The two of them sat with just one kitten left sitting on the ground. She was a cute looking little kitten. A dark, creamy chocolate-brown, with jet-black paws blending with the rest of her fur pattern and a faded white bib. According to Etcy, this was the kitten that had almost died do to complications. Jelly thought the poor queen-kit wasn't going to make it through the week, her being the runt of the litter. Luckily, her prognosis had been wrong, and the kitten was actually quite alive. Cassandra was examining her last daughter with intrigue. She turned towards Alonzo. He shrugged, looking just as confounded. The Siamese queen hummed as she studied her daughter further, "Funny…" she mused, "I don't actually have any names for the last one. I didn't think there was going to be a sixth. Never planned ahead."

There was a murmur of discussion of what the last queen-kit's name could be. Zela smiled at the little kitten. She was so playful…mysterious. A lot like her mother, and according to Alonzo, she was one of the quietest, but also fun-loving. A suggestion suddenly popped out of her mouth, "How about……Vitalee?"

All head turned to the young Jellicle queen. She backed away a step nervously, beginning to second-guess herself for being spontaneous. But these thoughts immediately ceased when seeing Cassandra's smile. "Vitalee…" she repeated to herself. Her smile increased, "It's fitting… …Lonz?" she looked at her mate questionably.

The Black and white tom glanced up at Zela with a grin, then down at his mate, and then to his last daughter. He smiled, and nodded, "I like it…" he said. Abruptly, Lonzo turned to the golden-red queen, "Zela…" he said, "We were wondering if you would be her godmother?"

The question had been so quick and abrupt, that Zela had barely realized it had been directed towards her. She blinked, staring at the patched tom, "Uhh…come again?"

Cassandra smiled and repeated the statement in a paraphrase, "Zela, we want you to be her godmother."

Zelaphelia thought about it for a second, knowing how rude it would be to decline the offer, but she never really enjoyed kittens. They were strange; small; feeble. It scared her, how easily she could kill something so tiny. She could kill adult Pollicles…It wouldn't take much, even accidentally, to kill a kitten… The gold-red female quickly pushed the thought in the back of her head, refusing to give into the side that Macavity had given her. She swallowed hard before grinning, "I'd be honored." She said simply.

Cassandra smiled, picking up her youngest daughter, and looking up at Zela hopefully. She held up the kitten in front of her. The golden-red female knew it suggested that she wanted her to hold the kitten. Zela was highly tentative, backing away hesitantly, but Demeter's calm, motherly paws stopped her, and gently nudged her forward. She gulped before reluctantly stepping forward, and carefully placing the kitten between her two paws. Demeter helped to correctly place the queen-kit in a cradling position in Zela's arms, using her spare hand. When the kitten had finally been placed in her arm, the young Jellicle queen stared at her goddaughter with interest. Her eyes were the most intriguing. They were two different colors. One was a dull grey-blue, and the other was a brash sap green with gold flecks in the center. She was so unique…powerful…as if she could enchant. The thought passed her mind, and Zela abruptly looked up at Mistoffelees with questioning eyes. Could the kitten be a mystic? Misto was already looking at her with a sly grin. He nodded conformingly, as if he had read her mind. Zela stared back down at the kitten curiously, instantly growing an attachment to her. Zela smiled at the queen-kit, a new hope arousing in her, _Vitalee…_


	8. Plans in Action

_When the kitten had finally been placed in her arm, the young Jellicle queen stared at her goddaughter with interest. Her eyes were the most intriguing. They were two different colors. One was a dull grey-blue, and the other was a brash sap green with gold flecks in the center. She was so unique…powerful…as if she could enchant. The thought passed her mind, and Zela abruptly looked up at Mistoffelees with questioning eyes. Could the kitten be a mystic? Misto was already looking at her with a sly grin. He nodded conformingly, as if he had read her mind. Zela stared back down at the kitten curiously, instantly growing an attachment to her. Zela smiled at the queen-kit, a new hope arousing in her, _Vitalee…

~^..^~

Munkustrap was trying desperately to push his exhaustion out of him, as he forced Tugger to come with by dragging him by the wrists. He was trying to find a vacant area, any place that was out of the tribe's earshot, and where he could talk to Tugger quietly. As if he hadn't _enough _to worry about. As the silver tabby ran to an unoccupied den, the Curious Cat began to complain that he didn't need to be dragged by the wrists like a kitten would be. By the time they actually reached the den, the silver tabby had had enough. He quickly pushed the Maine coon into the den forcefully, "Shut up, Tugger!" he ordered harshly, walking in. He could hardly contain the inferno beaming through his eyes at this point.

Tugger looked back, snarling at the Jellicle guardian and digging his paws into the ground, "Okay, if someone tells me to shut up _one more time today, _I swear, I'll-"

"You'll what? Actually _shut up!?" _the tabby mocked. Tugger's snarl deepened, and Munkustrap's mood was finally lightened. Agitating the Maine Coon was the most entertaining leisure for him, which was sad on his part. This was slightly as befuddling to him as it would be to anyone else, but no one else seemed to mind; besides the Curious Cat.

Tugger growled, seemingly trying to ignore the mocking comment. He settled himself on a patch of ground, "Whaddya want anyway, Straps? I'm very busy."

Munkustrap's raw, impassive expression didn't change from his face as his claws deepened in the dirt, "Oh yes," he agreed smoothly, grinding his teeth with breaths, "You've been quite busy haven't you? Throwing yourself at Zelaphelia and such."

Tugger paused from his grooming and looked back up at the silver tabby with a hardened face, "Zela? What does this have to do with Zela?" the question was asked more quietly than expected.

Munkus scoffed and glared at his brother, feeling that his intelligence was being insulted by the Curious Cat's stupidity, "Don't even _try _playing coy with me,Tugger. I saw you with her. You're arm was around her, and you kept whispering things to her-"

Tugger waved his paw in a dismayed manner, as if dismissing the silver tom's words, "I don't need any descriptions, Munk!" He spat. The Maine coon was quiet for a few seconds, combing his claws through his head fur like a guilty tom before sighing and looking back at his brother, "Yes…I was with her." He admitted softly, "We've been talking for awhile, is all. Nothing serious…"

Munkustrap wasn't exactly comforted by this explanation. Quite the opposite actually. He felt his face began rouging as his hollow glare burned on the back of the leopard-spotted tom's skull, "What the hell are you thinking then?" he growled in a sudden explosion, "Flirting with my mate's daughter! Acting like a complete jack-a-"

"Hey, hey, hey!" he flamed back at the silver tabby, "That's not called for! Listen, it's different with Zela."

Munk snorted and sniggered bitterly, "Different? What's different?" he asked in a mocking tone, "You're flirting with the one queen you know perfectly well you shouldn't provoke. What's your plan, eh Tug? Probably going to dance around her in circles, and then when you've had your fun, let her down gently, right?"

Tugger glared at him, in a completely loathsome way, "Do you really think I'm _that _shallow?" he asked, looking perfectly serious, "Look, I don't know if I'm getting serious with her or not. It's like how I would be with _any _queen. But _the difference _is that I actually feel something for Zela......I told you last fall how I felt about her!"

The Jellicle Guardian thought back. He'd already known through several experiences with Zelaphelia that Tugger cared about her, but the only time he remembered the Curious Cat expressing any feeling for her was right after she'd left with Demeter. The silver tabby shuttered, "You mean…when you told me that you _loved her??_" Munkustrap was speechless for the briefest second, "I thought you were _joking_!"

Tugger smirked a little, "Surprised, Stripes?"

Munk narrowed his eyes at the leopard-spotted tom, "Not really; though I highly doubt you actually _meant_ it. Listen, I don't really care what you think you have with Zelaphelia. I can tell you've been keeping it secret, up 'til now. And I don't really care about what you're planning to do. Just…don't get her upset. I can't even imagine how Demeter would react if she knew you were seeing her daughter. And I'd pray for you soul if you ever did something to hurt her."

The Curious Cat growled, waving his hands up in the air in frustration, "Hurt her? Why the hell would I hurt her?!"

Munkustrap blinked at him, as if it was supposed to be common knowledge, "Oh I don't know, maybe because you've done the same thing to nearly _every _single queen in the Junkyard for years, _including _kittens!"

Tugger quickly became bittersweet instead of angry, "Munk, I'm trying to tell you, I wouldn't hurt her." He snapped quickly, "I really do like her."

He snorted, "What happened to love?"

The Maine coon's face didn't change, but he did look away before speaking, "I was just completely…hypnotized by her. I didn't know what I was doing, and now…now I just want to figure out my feelings for her." Munk could tell by his expression that Tugger was serious.

He sighed, seeing his fun was nearly over, "Just…Tugger…If you're doing anything…just please…don't do anything stupid."

The Curious Cat looked back up at his brother and snickered, "C'mon Munk!" he exclaimed, apparently in a lighter mood, "Since when have I _ever _done something stupid?"

He didn't even wait for an expected answer from his rhetoric question. Tugger was already out of the den. Munkustrap watched his brother, feeling that there were a hundred different replies to that thought, but he didn't have time to worry about him. The silver tabby had other problems to worry about, and he didn't need to add Tugger to his list, at least not now. His top priority was to find Mistoffelees, and try getting him to help Jelly in finding a cure to the disease that infested Plato. The Jellicle guardian wasn't even sure if he should or shouldn't tell the tribe yet. If it got serious enough, maybe, but for now, Munk just wanted to make it through the week, scar-free…

Victoria held a little silver kitten in her arms while sitting in Cassandra and Alonzo's den. Since Cass had had a few complications while birthing her kittens, Jelly insisted on her staying in the medical den until she was up to moving back in with her kittens. According to Alonzo, that time had come, and they asked all the godparents to help move their newborns to the den. The white queen had been decided as Arjetta's godmother, which made her happy in a way. She had never been given an honor of being dedicated to a kitten. Actually, the whole term of being a godparent had come from a human tradition that Old Deuteronomy's grandfather had started. The ancient tribe had taken a liking to it, so the custom had been passed down through the generations. It was actually one of the less controversial and formal of Jellicle ceremonies. Parents just usually chose the cats they decided were worthy of caring for a kitten, and traditionally that chosen godparent was supposed to take care of the kitten; teach them the ways of the tribe, and become guardians to them if anything were to happen to the real parents.

Some kittens in the Junkyard had not been given godparents. Victoria's younger sister, Electra, didn't have one, nor did Alonzo or Cassandra. Maybe the fact that they didn't grow up with a role model had them taking on godparents for their kittens. The white queen shrugged, continually admiring the little Arjetta resting in her arms. She'd look forward to taking care of the kitten, at least knowing that she was soon supposed to be taking care of her own litter in a couple of months. This was just going to be good practice. But Vic still knew she wanted to always be there for Jetta, if not just to retain the honor given to her as a godparent.  
Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, Victoria caught an ominous shadow; she looked up in an alert-phased expression, but then relaxed her facial manner at the sight of her half-sister, Zelaphelia, "Hey Zel!" she greeted cheerfully.

Zela walked in quietly. A small dark-brown kitten was still encased in her arms. The gold-red queen had suggested the name Vitalee to Cassandra and Alonzo, which they seemed to like. Vic didn't think it was a bad name either, but when Zela was asked to be the godmother, she almost seemed hesitant. And even now, her sister was acting very awkward with the small kitten.

Zela cleared her throat as she fumbled with the kitten in her hands, as if trying to figure out what to do with it, "Not exactly easy…" she mused, "-handling kittens.... They're just so…fragile."

Victoria chuckled, tickling the chin of her godkit, "You're just not used to it, Zel. Just wait, the kitten will mature, and then you'll love being around her."

Zela looked up at Victoria, finally finding an awkward, but easy position to hold to chocolate colored kitten. She smiled, looking amused, "Well when did you get to be so wise about kits, Vic?" she asked with slight sarcasm.

The white queen giggled, "I've always loved kittens. I like being around them…and they seem to like me too…" she sighed to herself, "Jelly and Jenny might train me how to take care of kittens properly…they think Etcy and I would make good caretakers one day."

Zela cleared her throat, sitting next to her sister as the little fuzz ball known as Vitalee plopped into her lap, "Already having a life plan, eh Vic?" she said. It was said almost jeeringly.

She chuckled, in all amusement with the gold-red female's comments. "Well, it's one step closer than what _you _have planned, now isn't Zela?"

Zelaphelia smiled, looking down at the kitten, "_Touché._" she said, "But I don't like to plan too far ahead, Vic. I'm still trying to figure out where I should go after the ball…maybe before then…"

The white queen's brow furrowed as she stared at her sister seriously, "You're going to leave?"

"Well…I am nomadic, Vic. I don't really know if I want to stay in one place too long, and besides, with the Macavity scares that are probably going to happen soon, I don't even know if I should stay for more than a week…"

"A week?!" Victoria suddenly exclaimed she set Jetta down gently at her side and stood up to look the gold-red queen straight in the eye, "Zel, you just got here! And we haven't seen a trace of Macavity for quite a few months and not at all since you arrived! And Mom is just getting used to having you around. I can't even imagine what she'd think if you left all the sudden! And Cass just gave you a _guardianship _over her kitten! Are you really going to abandoned her now? When she just gave you a responsibility?" Vic could now sense that she was blurting out any excuse she could come up with for Zela to stay. She didn't know why she felt so strongly about her sister staying, but things had certainly been different without her.

Zelaphelia was looking down at Vitalee, fiddling with the kitten's soft head fur, and looking upset by the evidence brought up against her nomadism. She sighed warily, "Vic, I know I left a lot here, and I know I just got back…but…" an odd firmness suddenly quivered in the gold-red female's voice as she continued, "I'm not going to risk anyone's life by staying here."

Victoria combed through the fur on her head as she almost glared at her sister, "But you're not!" she countered weakly in frustration, "You're not doing anything by staying here! Zel, please, you need to understand that…none of this has to-…" The white queen suddenly caught a dizzying headache, as her legs wobbled a little and her head began spinning.

Zela got up from her spot, placing Vitalee next to her sister and coming close to Victoria's side concernedly. "Vic, are you okay?" she asked, putting the support of her paws around the white female's shoulder, holding her up from collapsing, "Maybe you should sit down…"

Victoria was too disoriented to argue. Zela quickly sat her sister next to the resting kittens. It took a matter of seconds for her head to allow any range of sense back into her mind. But in a brief time, she felt the blood rush back into her upper body. Zelaphelia blinked, still looking fairly worried for her sister, "What's wrong, Vic?"

The white queen rubbed her head as she blinked at her paws resting on top of her lap, "Nothing, Zela…" she murmured uneasily, "It's…it's just the pregnancy, I guess. I've been getting this dizziness every so often…" Victoria rubbed her head, still feeling a slight ache.

Zelaphelia patted her sister's back sympathetically as she spoke. "It's okay…" she assured quietly, "Has it been hurting you a lot? The pregnancy?"

Victoria looked back up at her sister, "No," she replied, "It's not hurting me. Might be painful sometimes; might make me uncomfortable, but…it doesn't hurt…"-she chuckled to herself unwittingly- "Some days are better than others…"

Zela sighed, as if in relief, "Well, I'm glad my sister's so tough…" she commented humorously. "How'd mum take the news?" she suddenly asked.

Victoria's head tilted a little as she glanced at her sister, "Hm…she was surprised as much…But she was happy about it, I guess. Sometimes I think mum still believes I'm a kitten…"

The young mystic chuckled with her sister, seeing the truth in the statement, "Well, she's always been kind of tentative…I'm sure she's happy for you…Did you tell Munkustrap?"

Vic quickly shook her head, having a little disappointment, "No…I haven't gotten a chance to tell him all week. He's always so busy, and he never tells me or Lectra what he's been doing…"

"Oh…I see…" Zelaphelia grunted, clearing her throat, and looking a bit uncomfortable about where the conversation was going. The gold-red female quickly stood up. "I have to go, Vic. You'll watch the kits, won't you?"

Victoria wasn't exactly content about her sister's change of mood, and wanted to question what was bothering her, "Zela, why don't you-"

"Vicky? Zela?" the two queens quickly looked over to the entrance to find the source of the new voice. It was Quaxo, carrying his new godson, Giacomo, and holding two other kittens, Delano and Lazarus. The oldest queen-kit, Kalendre, had already gotten used to walking by herself. Quaxo walked in with the four kittens, looking partially confused, "What are you guys doing?"

Victoria stood up, walking over to her mate, and kissing him lightly on the cheek, "Nothing, Quax. We're just talking." Quaxo smiled sheepishly at the tom-kits in his arms. The white queen always loved how bashful her mate always got around her. It made her feel...... alluring.

Zela walked around the mates but quickly turned to Victoria with a face written in seriousness, "Vic, talk to Munk later. Pretty sure you can't keep this from him." The gold-red queen quickly spun her heels around and headed in a random direction.

The small white female blinked, staring at her sister's exit. Her lips curled back tentatively. Quaxo suddenly handed her one of the kittens in his arms and studied her in all confoundedness. "What was she talking about?" he asked.

Victoria shook her head as she walked back into Cassandra and Alonzo's den, the kitten squirming in her arms. She didn't look at her mate. "My father doesn't know I'm with kittens yet…"

The silence around the mates grew so strong Vic could have sworn she heard the tuxedo tom gulp. It was a few moments before he replied: "Are you going to tell him?"

Victoria sighed, turning back to her mate, and rubbing her eyes, "Maybe later…" she answered quietly. She looked back at her mate and smiled warmly, setting the kitten next to his sisters. "Will you watch them?" she asked.

Quaxo laughed, "Of course, love. Well, Cass and Lonz are getting her things packed up to move back into their den. She already asked me to kitsit, so I figured I can do the same thing as a favor to both queens…"

The white queen smiled, kissing him once more in gratitude, and then headed out. She was still unsure if she should be looking for her father, or maybe somewhere just to relax. She mentally shrugged, but decided that anywhere would be good, if she could just clear her thoughts for an hour; a minute. The pregnancy was really taking its toll on her, and she was barely three weeks in…

Macavity walked down the empty halls of his Warehouse, a headache forming from talking and torturing about ten different henchcats. His last had been the little guardsmen he had recently appointed from training. He groaned, barely able to recall the name and not really caring either. If it meant anything, it was only the name of an illegitimate henchcat. However, that kit played a small role in his plan. He was simply going to guard the new prisoner, and even that kind of job shouldn't be too hard for a stupid henchcat. The ginger tom groaned, feeling his head begin to ache. He wandered miserably to his corner of the door to his den. He smiled slightly at that, at least glad that he could get some peace and quiet in his own quarters.

Quickly, he padded to the door and opened it, but just like that, his whole evening was ruined.

Jezabella sat on top of _his _black leather chair, smiling in a sickening way that would have made him vomit if it weren't for the fact he hadn't eaten anything in two days. He knew it was unhealthy to starve himself on purpose, but he didn't care too much. His biggest concern was the insufferable Tokinese queen was in his den without his permission. The Hidden Paw stayed silent as he scowled and headed towards her.

The beige queen's smile grew shockingly. _She should be afraid right now…_he grumbled harshly to himself. This thought made Macavity's scowl grow fiercer. Jeza chuckled, "Surprised to see me, Mac?"

The title she so impertinently called him made the ginger tom's mood grow sourer towards her. "It's _Sir_ to you, Jezabella." He hissed, striding over to her. She still had a smug grin on her face, which the ginger tom would have gladly smacked off if he had the energy at the moment. He was wondering why he felt so weak so suddenly. His anger and malevolence turned towards her, "Get out of my chair." he said in an ominously quiet tone.

The Tokinese queen shrugged and quickly stood up, leaping to the floor. Macavity quickly took his rightful place as he sat down comfortably. When Jeza had been just one of his queens, she had boundaries; limits; rules to follow with humble obedience. Now that she was appointed as a technical agent, she had more freedom around the Warehouse. She was more proud, less respecting to her superiors, and apparently now, she thought she could come into the den of her master whenever she wanted. The Napoleon of Crime growled as he wiped his face with his paw in an exhausted and angered manner. "What is it that you want, Jeza?" he asked, acidity gurgling in his tone.

Jezabella's grin finally faded from her face. She stared at her paws uneasily, "I wanted to know if you had talked to your guardsman, Marcetheus, today."

Macavity's eyes opened as he removed his paw from his face and on to the top of the arm rest. If he felt any amusement at all by the question, he made sure not to show it, "Yes, I talked to your little prodigy. Just now, actually… Gave him a little…pep-talk so he'll be ready for his…" -a small chortle escaped the ginger tom's throat before uttering the final word of his statement, "'mission.'" His amusement only increased from this.

Jeza nodded, as if not seeing the humor in his answer and entertainment from his face. "Good," she said, "He's very smart you know. Not like the other henchcats."

Macavity chuckled, "No, he's nothing like the other henchcats. He's weaker than the others, actually. And smart, Jeza? Not exactly the term _I _would have used."

The Tokinese queen's brow seemed to furrow in disapproval of the statement. She stood up, as if ready to protest, but a knock from the door quickly stopped her. Macavity growled, his headache growing, "Come in! Come in…" he said in a harsh growl.

Jezabella quickly sat back down and looked at the floor, obviously disgruntled by what he had said. The Hidden Paw only found amusement out of this. But he decided to ignore her until he found it to be a good time to send her out. He looked towards the door that had swiftly opened to reveal an all-black tom with a pale jagged scar lined on his left cheek. Barnabas. Macavity's mood quickly shifted back to bitterness as he groaned, "This have better be good." He mumbled roughly, loud enough so that his assistant could hear, "A report from the Junkyard spies, I hope?"

Barnabas sat on the floor of his boss's den, looking more exhausted than usual. "Yes_._"

Macavity nodded towards his agent, and then looked back at Jezabella, still feeling annoyed by her presence. "Leave us." He ordered quickly to her. Jeza didn't seem to hesitate, but she gave him one more hateful glare before leaving.

Barnabas had watched her exit, but once the door slammed, he turned back to the Hidden Paw. Macavity's headache had only increased by the sudden slam of the door, but he ignored it for now, "The report?" he said.

Barnabas seemed hesitant at first, but then quietly started, "You said to mark every activity of the Jellicles, and nothing really important has been going on. They found the tom we kidnapped, and it looks like he's been getting worse since we injected him with the toxin, but we haven't heard any talk from any other of the Jellicles, so we assume that the tribe leader is keeping it secret.-"

"The tribe's _protector, _idiot." Macavity quickly interrupted, "Everyone knows the old tumbleweed is out of town."

The black tom cleared his throat uncomfortably, "Of course, _Sir. _Any how, the only thing that has really happened was the tribe magician's mate is with kittens, and a certain dark Siamese queen happened to give birth to six kits two weeks ago. All of them have been named today, and given guardians…Your daughter was among them."

Macavity was mildly intrigued by all this information, especially about his half-sister's kittens, and Zelaphelia. "Hm…I see. Any mystics among the kittens?"

Barnabas nodded, "The magician claimed one as a mystic that I heard. Their first born."

The ginger tom was now lost interest, and was actually just asking questions to keep his agent distracted while he thought. He actually just needed to know about Zelaphelia. The sooner he could get her to the Warehouse, the better, but he couldn't just take her by force. She'd grown too powerful for that. If she started using her mystical abilities more often, he wasn't even sure if she could be defeated. So, he would need to get her to the Warehouse, where at least he had his own magic that he could easily drain her with; his own mystical weapons the Junkyard didn't even know about… The Hidden Paw grinned, finally sensing a good plan finished in his mind, and it would require the help of Barnabas, and of a few Jellicle kittens.

It was by this point Macavity realized the black henchcat was still blabbering on. He quickly indicated for him to stop. The ginger tom stood up, and walked over to his cabinet. He puzzled with the combination lock before opening it swiftly. Looking around, he spotted a silver case sitting at the bottom of the first drawer, sitting quietly and stably. Macavity grinned, quickly grabbing it by the handle, and then walking over to his poker table, and gently putting the case on top of it. Barnabas stared at him zealously as he came forward. The ginger tom noticed this and gestured him to come forward.  
Macavity quickly unlocked his case, and revealed several shimmering vials with an oozy dark liquid in them, encased with dark grey foam that had been carefully constructed to cradle the poison inside the glasses gently. Next to the vials, small syringes sat quietly, as if waiting to be used for the ginger tom's own nefarious purposes. Macavity grinned as he took out both a larger syringe, and one of the vials. "How would you and few other agents like to do a job for me, Barnabas?"

Nightfall had aroused in the Junkyard, and Zelaphelia sat silently in the shadows of her new den, thinking over things that had happened today. She was looking around prestigiously at her den. Munkustrap had introduced her to it a few days after Cassandra had given birth to her kits. Zela knew she couldn't stay with Demeter and Munk for the rest of her time at the Junkyard, and had taken a liking to it. It was on a northern part of the Junkyard. She had a nice view of the sunrise, and a quite a few entrances or exits. Most of the den was made from old wooden furniture and tarnished tapestries and large rugs. It was filled with earthy tones of color and draped with torn blankets and covered with lamp shades. It was actually quite elegant for her. But not even her den could clear her mind of the words Victoria pressed in her mind.

Zela wasn't exactly sure if she should or shouldn't leave the Junkyard yet. True, Macavity hadn't reared his ugly head yet, but that didn't mean he wasn't around, and the gold-red queen had been extremely paranoid about it for two weeks. He might still be planning, despite the reassurance from Munkustrap that he's been quiet for months. Zela could never believe that the Napoleon of Crime had given up the chase. Perhaps she was endangering everyone by staying for so long.

Suddenly, a rustling near the front of her den toyed with the gold-red female's mind. She looked up, half-expecting something bad. But to her blatant surprise, it was simply Munkustrap skulking into her den. Zela gulped uneasily, as she sat back down, sliding her paws under her chest as she watched him come in. Was he going to mention Tugger? Or maybe it was about Plato? His face held a certain neutrality that made her nervous and uncertain of the subject he would bring up. "Hello Zela." He greeted.

Zela bowed her head quickly, "Munkustrap" she said, "Anything I can help you with?" The gold-red queen was slightly surprised by the maturity in her own voice. It was kind of annoying to her.

The Jellicle guardian nodded, coming farther into the den, "Yes…Zela, would you mind telling me why you've been spending so much time with Tugger?"

The gold-red queen sighed through her nose. She knew this was coming. "We've just been talking, Munk." She said casually, "It's no big deal."

The silver tabby grimaced, "That's what he said too…" he came up to her face, "He said it wasn't too serious. Is that the way you feel about it?"

Zelaphelia mentally scolded herself. If she had done a better job at keep her and Tugger secret, maybe Munkustrap wouldn't be having her endure in this awkward conversation, "…Yes and no…" she replied vaguely, "I think he actually cares, and we really have _just_ been talking."

Munkustrap nodded, but his face expressed disapproval, "Zela, I don't know if I like that you're with him…" he said tentatively.

Now it was the gold-red queen's turn to grimace, "Well, It's not really your decision, is it Munkustrap?" She stood up, and turned away from him.

Munkustrap seemed not to like the fact that she was acting like this, giving his disgruntled growl. "Zela, what would your mother think if she knew you were sneaking around, keeping this from her?"

Zela scowled at the question and sharply turned back to him, "And what would the tribe think if they knew you were keeping Plato a secret?" When she said it, the young queen instantly regretted the question, but it was a good counter, and may prove her point as to why he shouldn't be keeping this.

Munkustrap stared at her with a blank expression. He looked down at his feet and grunted, "Zela, you know I-"

"MUNK!" a panicked voice suddenly cried into her den. The gold-red queen spun around, seeing Jellyorum, with a sobbing Cassandra and Alonzo with a comforting arm around her.

Munkustrap walked over to Jellyorum, seemingly trying to calm her down as it appeared she looked like she was going to hyperventilate. "Jelly…what's wrong? What happened?"

Jellyorum breathed quickly as she squeezed his shoulder blades, "Munk, it's Quaxo…we found him unconscious in Cass and Lonz's den. And the kittens…Oh Everlasting Cat, we can't find them! They're gone!"


	9. Blood Message

_**A/N: OH MY. I am completely freaking out because the symbol I've been using as my separator of perspectives won't show up on fanfiction anymore on ANY of my stories, and neither will the spell check on fanfiction and I AM FREAKING OUT. It's okay…I'm calm… SO for now, this little icon: ~^..^~ is going to be my POV separator until I can figure out what happened! **_

"_MUNK!" a panicked voice suddenly cried into her den. The gold-red queen spun around, seeing Jellyorum, with a sobbing Cassandra and Alonzo with a comforting arm around her. _

_Munkustrap walked over to Jellyorum, seemingly trying to calm her down as it appeared she looked like she was going to hyperventilate. "Jelly…what's wrong? What happened?"_

_Jellyorum breathed quickly as she squeezed his shoulder blades, "Munk, it's Quaxo…we found him unconscious in Cass and Lonz's den. And the kittens…Oh Everlasting Cat, we can't find them! They're gone!"_

~^..^~

Jennyanydots could tell by the looks of the sky, sunset was growing nearer, which wasn't exactly good news. It meant another half of a day was going to end in a few hours, and the more her son's lifespan was curtailing. Jenny had been watching Plato, obviously, who had been growing increasingly worse with the toxin in his body. The Gumbie Cat was well on her way to accepting Plato's terminal illness, which she hadn't given up hope on yet. She was still trying to convince Jellyorum to help find a cure, or at least something to help subside the symptoms. Nothing she said to her friend seemed to work. Jelly seemed to have lost all hope. She promised the Jennyanydots that his disease -or toxin, or whatever it was, was going to kill the calico tom in a matter of months. And so, she had been sitting in her den, unable to even tell her mate, Skimbleshanks, about their son's return, and his being condemned to death by the high order of disease. It had been hell for the Gumbie Cat.

Etcetera suddenly came in quietly with a tray of medical supplies. She smiled at Jenny, and sat herself close to Plato's side. The poor tom had been lying on a regular bed now for two weeks, and had an increasing fever. The young tabby had been extremely watchful and caring of him. It made Jenny happy a little to see that _someone _was taking in interest in him, besides her. The Gumbie Cat cleared her throat, feeling a little light headed. She assumed it was from staying up too late with Plato. Then again, there was a lot she assumed nowadays. Etcy sat uneasily, and the silence between them gave Jenny a chill.

Despite this overwhelming shiver, she smiled at the light tabby, watching her press a damp rag against the calico tom's forehead, wiping away any remaining perspiration. Plato lay on his bed, sleeping quietly. It was a haunting look on his face, the morbid kind of look that killed a mother inside. She looked up at Etcy, smiling slightly, "You care about my son, don't you?"

Etcetera looked up, smiling back, and sighing in a relief of the ending silence, "I do, Jenny. He's just……I'm sorry, Jenny…I really am."

"Don't be." The Gumbie cat replied, trying to act as if her son's ailment didn't bother her, which it did. "It's…it's going to be alright…it will be…" she choked on her words, unable to hold back her tears.

The young tabby queen's smile disappeared as she watched Jennyanydots slowly beginning to cry. The old female knew that the two of them were feeling an empathetic connection between each other. Jenny knew that Etcetera was looking forward to being with her son at the Jellicle ball next month, and now she probably wasn't even going to see him there. Perhaps both queens knew they were going to be losing a tom they loved soon…that was…if Jellyorum maybe helped create a cure…

Suddenly, to her little surprise, the Gumbie cat noticed the thin, pale, and panic-struck medical queen rush into her den. She gave no greeting glance towards her friend or her daughter. She simply rushed past them, and dived into a pile of medical books. Jenny stood up, about ready to question the old tabby about her position with Plato and why she seemed so distressed. But before she could say anything, Tumblebrutus and Munkustrap came in, dragging an unconscious feature of Quaxo into the den, and setting him gently on a bed. Once done, Munkustrap paced up and down the aisle between patient's quarters, wiping his face with his paw, and looking confused and exhausted. Then abruptly, Alonzo came in carrying a crying and frequently collapsing Cassandra.

Jenny turned towards Jelly; then Munkustrap, beyond befuddled on what had happened and why Quaxo was unconscious. "Munk…what's wrong…"

The silver tabby turned to her with a frustrated look in his eye. "Everything, Jenny! Everything's wrong!"

She was about to quiz him further, wondering what Quaxo was doing there, and why he was unconscious, but a gasp from Tumblebrutus escaped him before she could. "Good Heavyside," Tumble whispered, "Plato?"

Jennyanydots turned towards her son, realizing that he was now exposed to two other cats that hadn't already known about him. Munkustrap finally growled angrily, turning to the cats in the room. "That's it!" he exclaimed, stomping his hind foot on the floor, "We're having a tribe meeting! NOW. Jenny, Jelly, you and Etcetera will watch Plato and Quaxo. If Quax wakes up, quickly examine him and get him to the meeting den. Tumble, go tell everyone we're having a meeting."

Before anyone could ask the Jellicle guardian a question, Munkustrap quickly stormed out. Jennyanydots looked around at the faces in the room. Jellyorum was looking up from a book, redundantly blinking. Tumblebrutus gave a confused glance at Plato, then at Jenny and then sprinted out of the den to tell the tribe about the meeting. Quaxo was lying on a bed, stirring somewhat, which Jenny immediately stood up to. She turned to Etcy, who seemed to be handling Plato very well.

The Calico tom's eyes suddenly narrowed open as he looked as his mother. He moaned, while wheezing, "Mum…what's… going on? What's wrong with Munkus……?" He coughed a few times, breaking out in a new sweat. The Gumbie Cat shook her head, brushing a few strands of longer fur off his forehead, "Were you listening the whole time?"

Plato smiled weakly, clutching her paw, "Only a little…" he replied hoarsely.

Jennyanydots grinned at her son, and bent down to gently kiss his head. "Don't worry about it, dear…" she whispered, patting his cheek lightly. Her voice strained with incomparable motherly love. She was scared for her son, and would do anything to see him live. Perhaps, maybe they'd take it seriously now. The Gumbie Cat patted his cheek, and reluctantly left his side to attend to the impaired magician, who was still grumbling.

Jenny grabbed a damp cloth from Etcetera's chair and quickly made her way to Quaxo's side, trying to get him to wake up. He was an ice cube, just by touch of his fur, you could tell he was. "Come on, Quax…wake up…" she begged quietly. The tuxedo tom shivered a little, as if his mind was fighting his unconsciousness. Perhaps he'd wake up in a few moments. Jenny patted the cold rage against his rag. "Please wake up dear…" she said in a small whisper.

Jellyorum came over to her friend's side with the book in her hands. The Gumbie cat glanced at her, trying to lightly slap Misto back into consciousness, which wasn't working. She breathed roughly, and turned back to the medic, "I know Plato isn't going to be with us much longer…" she said sorrowfully, "Could you bear seeing two of our younglings die?"

Jelly shook her head, resting her arm on her friend reassuringly, "Quaxo won't die..." She said. The older tabby frowned, leaning his head forward, and examining his neck. Jenny noticed the blood shimmering off of his ebony colored fur. There was a puncture wound where his vein was.

"What happened to his-"

"An injection from a needle. Same kind we found on Plato, I'm afraid… I don't know… I'm beginning to wonder…maybe…there's a pattern to this toxin…"

The Gumbie cat quickly cleared her throat, "A pattern, Jelly?"

"Perhaps whatever this toxin is may be more than what we think…"

Jenny stared at her friend curiously, wanting to question her theory further, but was soon stopped by the sound of Quaxo's odd blue eyes flickering open. Jelly bent down, touching the back of her paw to his head. "He's a normal temperature…" she commented. Her attention quickly turned to the tuxedo tom, "Quaxo, are you awake? Please, Quax, answer me…"

The medical queen shook his shoulder, and the young tom's grasp of the living quickly followed him, "Jellyorum…?" he said. He rubbed the back of his head painstakingly, "Hm…what happened?..."

Jenny shrugged, "You're going to have to tell_ us_ that, Quaxo…."

~^..^~

Munkustrap watched the commotion of the Jellicles coming into the meeting den. He sat on the hood of the yellow convertible car that remained in the center of the den that allowed him to look up in the lofts that were closest to the sky. That was where most of the tribe would climb to. Some remained on solid ground, others on wooden crates and old furniture. He shook his head ponderously, uncertain of how he was going to tell the tribe about Plato. But that wasn't what he was worried about. His main concern of this meeting was the missing kittens. Munkustrap was upset with himself that they weren't kept under better security.

The silver tabby noticed Cassandra and Alonzo coming in finally. His half-sister looked awful. She was walking with the support of her mate, and her face stained by tears. Alonzo seemed worried for his mate as he held her up. Munkustrap sighed, feeling awful for the poor queen. Demeter and Zelaphelia swiftly followed them in, both with solemn faces of concern. To the silver tom's understanding, they were both given a position as Godparents to Cassandra's kittens. Now they were gone, and everyone knew it. Munkustrap scowled soon as Tugger had came in, staring after Zela. He rolled his eyes unwittingly, trying to ignore his brother. Maybe both he and Zela would get over their little fling and she wouldn't have to keep things from Deme. The silver tom sighed and watched as the rest of the tribe quickly came pouring in. He took a quick but important not that he was going to have to speak to all of them and explain what he had been keeping for two weeks.

As everyone quickly took a place in the meeting den, Munkustrap let his booming voice echo through the walls; "Jellicle Cats of all kinds, I call this meeting to order to point out the main concerns that have been ensued in the Junkyard!"

All the attention turned to the Jellicle guardian. The silver tabby gulped once before continuing, "At most recent, we have all just discovered that Cassandra's kittens have gone missing." –a murmur and whispers went through the crowd- "No one can find a trace of them anywhere in the Junkyard, and I want to plan a full search party to be immediately sent out after them. If they're not in the Junkyard, then they can't be far off. I will go to lead. Are there any volunteers?"

A serge of paws waved around in the air. A few cats stood up as their voices rang into his ears, making them twitch from the noise. Munkustrap ignored any signs of wanting to go on this search from Alonzo and Cassandra. He felt it would be much better just to stay in the Junkyard for now. Cassandra was completely devastated, and Alonzo needed to be there for his mate. At the sight of the many volunteers surrounding the den, Munkus chose the most random of any paws he saw. "Alright, Tumblebrutus… Mungojerrie… and Quaxo will come with us when he gets-"

"I'm here Munk." An agitated voice grumbled from the entrance of the den. All heads in the room turned to see a tuxedo tom, looking exhausted and strangely grumpy. Quaxo had changed into Mistoffelees before finally coming into the den. His sparkling coat was shimmering excitedly, but Misto looked less than what his fur expressed.

"Perfect timing, as usual Mistoffelees." The silver tabby commented lightly, "Perhaps you can shed some light on what happened to the kittens?"

The conjuring cat groaned as he walked further into the meeting with a grey facial expression. He looked around at the eyes staring at him before sighing and looking back at Munkustrap. "I don't know everything that happened. All I remember was that all six kittens were running around together, and they were all in front of me. Then someone came up behind me and stabbed me in the neck, which rendered me unconscious." The tuxedo tom turned his head to the side to display the injury on his neck, which was patched with a white rag, and now blotched red with his blood. There was a wave of shock and confusion over the meeting den. A few queens looked away in disgust, while toms grimaced at it. The older cats merely studied it with interest. Mistoffelees seemed to have ignored all of the reactions and turned his head again to face all of them. "I didn't sense anyone then, and when I woke up I was in Jelly's den…and I wasn't sure where the kittens went…" his head hung in shame, as if he felt guilty for an accidental crime.

Munkustrap glanced at Alonzo and Cassandra who were sitting together, close to the ground, and staring at the magician in awe and sorrow. Mistoffelees sighed as he looked back up, "Once Jelly patched me up and explained everything, I went back to Cassandra and Alonzo's den to see if I could find anything…but the only scent I got that wasn't the kittens was…henchcat."

Munkustrap eyed all of the Jellicles now whispering theories, opinions, and concerns to each other that weren't too far out of earshot. Cassandra already collapsed into Alonzo's arms in a new line of tears. The silver tabby sighed, wondering why he hadn't investigated before beginning the meeting, or the fact that no one else could smell henchcat like Misto did. Inhaling sharply, the silver tabby turned back to Mistoffelees, "Do you know which way they went?"

The conjurer shook his head, "That I don't know…" he admitted softly.

Munkustrap grimaced, unsure of what to think or say after that. If they couldn't track these marauders and the kittens quickly, it may be too late to find them. The Jellicle guardian sighed, as if losing all hope in finding those poor kits. But a question posed Munkustrap's mind: What did Macavity want with kittens? If he sent his henchcats after them and they found a way to disguise their scent as much as possible, then the ginger tom must have really been focused on getting them. Munkustrap's brow furrowed in his pondering state. He felt like he needed something to guide him and tell him what he should do. He needed Old Deuteronomy right now. But the real Jellicle Leader was probably miles from here, and it would take days before they would actually find him, and that would be too late.

Almost ready to wallow in his despondence, Munkustrap looked up at the tribe with a solemn expression and was about to tell the tribe that they would use numerous searchers to look for the kittens. But he didn't even utter word. Anything that came out was automatically drained by a shrill growl that came from a source somewhere in the gallery of the Jellicles. All heads turned to find the cat that was creating these odd noises. The silver tabby's eyes finally shifted to see Zelaphelia gripping the sides of her head and wincing in a way that looked to be pain. Demeter was trying to secure her daughter's shoulders and trying to get say something to calm her down, but the screams of torment seem to have suppressed any words of comfort or concern…

~^..^~

Zelaphelia had saw that there was enough hopelessness in this tribe without the tiniest of useful information from Mistoffelees. Her friend had been brutally attacked, and didn't even see who kitnapped the kittens, if that was what happened to them. Maybe if she tried accessing her powers, it would be easier to know who had taken them, and where they were. If she could try having a vision…then maybe…maybe…

As soon as the thought hit her, the gold-red queen suddenly acted on her impulse and tried thinking of her Godchild. Maybe if she thought of Vitalee, her mindsight could tell her where she was. And then a fierce pain suddenly hit the side of her head. It crossed several times in her mind, causing excruciating aches all around her head. Had she really not been exercising her powers enough that it was painful to try spontaneously? The last thing Zela felt was her mother's hands gripping her shoulders and everyone looking at her after she couldn't contain her pain any longer. Without another thought, Zela's mind gently subsided from pain into a relaxing darkness that took over her vision and mind. As the black outlining of her vision faded, a light blurred into her view:

**A little chocolate colored Abyssinian kitten was mewling helplessly in a knapsack, as were her brothers and sisters. They were all being carelessly carried by three midnight-black henchcats. One of them had a jagged scar on his left cheek. Barnabas. The henchcats were walking stealthily by an alley way. They seemed to be looking for something…or someone. Suddenly, the outline of a dark and ominous figure that wasn't recognizable yet…**

Zela quickly fled out of her vision, feeling herself getting dizzy. She faded away from the darkness of her mysticism, and back into reality. She stared upward, knowing she must have collapsed, which she didn't think would happen. She knew she should have worked her powers a little more before using them so quickly, but this was an emergency, which she was needed in. Zela blinked once or twice before her body could function again without being completely disturbed. She found her mother, and both her sisters staring at her, calling her name and trying to slap her gently into consciousness.

The gold-red queen quickly sat up, shooing them away from her face. "I'm alright…" she said warily, "I'm alright…" she shrugged Demeter's paw off her shoulder, and accepted the help to stand up. Victoria and Electra stood in front of her, supporting her and helping her walk off the platform.

"Zelaphelia…" Munkustrap stood on the crushed convertible, everyone staring at her with interest and confusion in their eyes. Demeter placed her close to the silver tabby's seat and stayed with her. Victoria and Electra stayed close behind. Munkustrap's voice lifted slightly as he stared, "Are you alright?"

Zela ignored the question as she spoke, "I know where they are and where they're going. I'm not sure why, or who they're meeting. But I'm sure of where they are."

Munkustrap, and frankly the whole tribe, was at awe of her words. They all stared at her with hope flickering in their eyes. The Jellicle Guardian paused for a brief second as he stared at her in a pondering manner. "What? The henchcats? Where are they?"

Zela quickly shook her head. The silver tabby was a bit ignorant of how precious time actually was. "There's not enough time, Munkustrap!" She retorted quickly, "I can take you to them, but we need to go _now_, or we'll be too late!"

Munkustrap raised an eyebrow, seeming to object to the idea of her going on the search with them, but she was giving him an expression that told him her seriousness of the matter. He grimaced, but then seemed too confused to argue with her. He nodded at her and turned to the crowd, "Mungo, Mistoffelees, Tumblebrutus, Zelaphelia and I will find the kittens. Everyone keep calm and we'll be back with them shortly. This meeting is adjourned!"

Everyone started getting up from their seats in the meeting den. However the cats whose names were called for the search party quickly met down to Munkustrap. Everyone else quickly left. Demeter still seemed uncertain of leaving her daughter, with a look from Munkus; she reluctantly let go of Zela's shoulder and left without glancing back. The gold-red queen grimaced at her mother leaving. She was always concerned with her daughter, which Zela didn't hate, but found that she knew her mother couldn't protect her from everything. She wanted to be apart of the tribe rather than be treated like a kitten for most of her time at the Junkyard.

The young Jellicle queen turned to Munkustrap as he spoke to the four of them, "Zela, you'll lead us to where they are. We'll head out now, inconspicuously if we can, and then follow the henchcats. They weren't going to the Warehouse were they?"

Zela shook her head, "I don't think so. They looked like they were meeting someone, maybe…"

Munkustrap shook his head, and turned to the three other toms. "When we catch up to them, we'll fight any henchcat that poses a threat. But we all have to focus on getting the kittens into safety before attacking any of them. Remember that above all. Now, let's head out."

**~^..^~**

Barnabas carried two kittens in the sack with the utmost of haste. Macavity was waiting in some alley, or at least that was what he had described when giving the black tom and his other henchcats this job. It wasn't that he was really proud of catnapping kittens, but he didn't feel any guilt towards the fact that he did it. It was a job, after all. If he refused to do it, he would probably be falling out of Macavity's 'favor'. Not that he cared that much. His boss already hated most of his henchcats, and only trusted a few of them.

Barnabas sighed, looking back at the two henchcats that were carrying two other sacs that held two other kittens in each. They looked just as apprehensive as he was about these kits. Every so often they often mewled their pleas and cries for help, which muffled through the webbing of the knapsacks. That annoyed the black tom to no end, and sometimes he'd drop the bag ahead of him to see if they'd shut up. It only made them cry more, which really wanted to make him through the bag up against the wall and end it, but that was against Macavity's instructions, and he wanted all of them alive upon delivery.

He wasn't going to question his boss at the moment. His job and boarding depended on it. Barnabas quickly turned the corner and crossed an empty road, knowing that with that one queen, Zelaphelia being the more powerful of mystical cats in the Junkyard, the tribe felines wouldn't be too far behind if she was using the powers that the Hidden Paw described. This was why he told the three henchcats to rush with the kittens; as fast as they could go, and meet with him at the exact street corner.

The henchcat swallowed hard as his eyes averted to the alley Macavity had described to him. He walked in tentatively with the other cats following him with the mewling bags of kittens. The alleyway was completely empty. A complete dead-end if he had ever seen one. Barnabas looked around curiously as he dropped the sack and groaned. Why would his boss lead him in a dead end?

"You're late. Again." A quick voice snapped from behind.

Barnabas quickly turned around. The henchcats followed in the same gesture. Macavity stood in front of them wearing a disgusted scowl as his gaze shifted between the three of them. Barnabas flinched at his boss's face, and quickly tried to catch himself on the rebound as the leader of his party, despite having the hidden paw staring at them, "Apologies, _Sir…_" he murmured to the black top and slurring his tone, "We got caught up in the Junkyard. The Jellicles are still trying to track us, no doubt with their magician leading them, but we took care of him…" Barnabas grinned sadistically, holding a syringe that his master had entrusted to him; a syringe that had a deadly toxin- or poison, or whatever it was- in it.

Macavity's scowl only deepened as he stepped forward, "Your excuses are meaningless to me, Barnabas. And if you had been listening to me, I told you only to use the contents in that syringe if any of them tried to attack you! Stupid henchcats, always so _insolent_…"

The black tom gulped as he stepped down, swallowing his smugness down his throat. He couldn't even think to himself before Macavity began speaking again, "Please tell me you at least didn't disappoint me on your mission. The kittens? You have them?"

He grinned again at the ginger tom, holding a knapsack up. The kits in it began mewling again and sounding terrified. This only made Barnabas a little happier. However, Macavity's face didn't seem as amused. He quickly took the bag from him and peeked inside, looking as if he were counting money instead of seeing if his agent found the kits he wanted. A dark smirk suddenly curled around the ginger tom's face as he looked up and tossed the bag to his assistant. The Napoleon of Crime quickly walked behind him, ignoring the other henchcats and looking as if he were getting something, which in fact he was. He came back to his original spot in the shadows, carrying the same silver case in his clutches that had the syringes of toxin poison in it. He quickly clicked it open on the ground and took out a vile and syringe. Macavity acted quickly and loaded one of the tubes with the dark liquid.

He stood up, looking back with a crazed look in his narrowed yellow eyes. He put out his paw and gestured Barnabas forward. The henchcat did as his master wished, and the ginger tom quickly snatched the knapsack away. He opened it and took out one of the kits. A dark Siamese that looked like that Cassandra queen. Macavity grinned sadistically as he held the kitten carelessly in his paw. "You said that only one of them was a mystic?" he asked, turning his attention back to the black tom.

He nodded in response, "They're eldest son, a patched one; black and white."

The ginger tom grimaced, but then just made a face that seemed to understand, "Then I'll just have to slit that one's throat."

Barnabas stared at his boss curiously, "Pardon me Sir, but…you're going to kill them?"

Macavity didn't look the least bit surprised by the question, "It's time to show these Jellicles how much backbone the Warehouse cats have. One dose of this stuff-" He held up the syringe- "Would take at least a few months to kill an adult feline. The same dosage in a newly born kit…it would only take a few minutes…"

Barnabas, despite the fact that he wasn't fond about killing kittens this young, grinned sadistically. He wasn't sure what Macavity's plan was. He kept more of his plans locked in his own head, but now it seemed the Hidden Paw was revealing himself slowly. As Macavity tossed the case of poison to Barnabas and ordered him to use it on the other kittens, saving the mystic for a naturally caused death, he used his own syringe to plunge into the small kitten in his paw…

**~^..^~**

It was about mid-afternoon when the search party rushed together far from the Junkyard. No one was speaking to each other. Sometimes Misto would catch up with Zela to ask a question, though she seemed too focused to answer. The toms were mostly following the gold-red queen as she led them down the sidewalks of the city, practically running. But to Tumblebrutus, she seemed to be holding back. Maybe it was just him; then again, everyone seemed to be wondering where the gold-red queen was going anyway. Tumble wasn't even sure why she was leading them, even if she was the one with the visions. It didn't make sense in his mind, but he wasn't about to question Munkustrap or the two most powerful mystics in the tribe.

The grey and brown calico wandered close to the back with the Jellicle Guardian. Misto was close up with Zela, and Mungo was rushing awkwardly in the middle of the four of them. Tumblebrutus was simply wondering if half of this was as dangerous as everyone was assuming. To him, it was just a little more drama. However, with Cassandra's kittens missing…maybe it was a reason to start fearing for the worst, and not just that, but for another reason that was slowly crawling its way back to the front of Tumblebrutus's mind. As they ran across the road and onto a parallel sidewalk, he turned to Munkustrap quietly, "Munk…?" he said.

The silver tabby seemed not to be paying much mind to him. He kept staring up at Zela, "What is it?" he asked distractedly. He turned his attention away from the gold-red queen long enough to look at him.

Tumble took a pause before asking his question: "Munk…is Plato back in the Junkyard?"

Munkustrap turned his gaze fully towards the brown and gray tom's face. He probably would have stopped dead in their tracks if they weren't in a hurry to get where Zela was leading them. His face was darkly impassive at the moment. "Yes…" he said after a long silence, "We found Plato two weeks ago…"

Tumblebrutus looked slightly agog at his words. He swallowed his argument and belched a question instead, "Why didn't you say anything?"

It took even longer for Munkustrap to answer now, "Something happened to Plato… Something …not normal and I didn't think the tribe needed to know about it yet. I thought maybe if he was kept quiet for awhile, it would clear up, and he'd be normal again. But…it didn't happen. I was going to tell the tribe about it, but we left so quickly…I couldn't. But I will. The second we get the kittens back, I'm planning to tell everyone."

Tumblebrutus nodded quietly at the news. He didn't understand everything yet, but perhaps when they brought the kittens back and had another tribe meeting, he would. As they rounded a street corner and into an alley, the calico tom was thinking about asking Munk more questions, but a fowl mixture of smells infiltrated his nose and made it wrinkle; a bad combination of blood and henchcats. By the Jellicle guardian's facial expression, everyone else must have been just as disgusted. Suddenly, Zela stopped dead in her tracks. The toms paused with her. With some curiosity in his mind, Tumble stepped forward to meet her face, as did Misto.

The tuxedo tom's eyebrow was raised, "Zela…?"

The gold-red queen's head turned sharply to an aluminum trash can. Everyone's faces turned with hers, and suddenly, Tumble's blood curdled cold. Black garbage bags were piled on top of one another next to each can, and under that was a puddle of dark scarlet liquid that oozed into lines like a river and seemed not to end. In this puddle, six tragic kitten bodies lay lifelessly. They're eyes were all open, looking purely horrified, as if they're last moment had been experienced by a nightmare. Tumblebrutus turned away in terror and disgust and looked back at everyone else.

All toms and Zela had flushed faces. Everyone seemed frozen for a moment until the mystics stepped forward and bowed their head in sorrow. "Great Heavyside…" whimpered the gold-red female as she looked at them, "…They…they're…but…I…I thought…" Tumble saw tears rolling down her cheek.

Munkustrap put a supporting paw on the Jellicle queen's shoulder, "We…we were too late…damn… Dammit all…"

Most of them were in tears at this point while staring at the grotesque sight. Tumblebrutus turned from all of them to the dead-end wall of the alley. And as his eyes looked over it, they widened in complete shock. His jaw dropped as his horrified squeaks of words came out, "Mu-Munkus…" he almost shouted, "Y-you have to see this…"

Everyone turned to Tumble's direction, and seeing what he was still horrifyingly studying, they all had the same exact face of awe, shock, and fear. The faded orange brick had been painted on with the blood puddle of the kittens in the shape of a giant "M". On a side wall, there was written a small message, "MORE WILL DIE, UNLESS YOU COME."


	10. Wasted Optimism

"_Mu-Munkus…" he almost shouted, "Y-you have to see this…"_

_Everyone turned to Tumble's direction, and seeing what he was still horrifyingly studying, they all had the same exact face of awe, shock, and fear. The faded orange brick had been painted on with the blood puddle of the kittens in the shape of a giant "M". On a side wall, there was written a small message, "MORE WILL DIE, UNLESS YOU COME."_

~^..^~

Everytime Zelaphelia stared at the red painted "M", she couldn't help but get a shiver down her spine. The message, of course was even more disturbing. The blood-ink of each letter seemed to be almost aligned in black, curving and ceasing so quickly you'd think each drop had been slashed by a knife. Each letter registered in her mind and was soon branded in her memory. She couldn't get the words out of her head, or at least shift her eyes away from the awful sight. The cold feeling in her paws began growing inside her flesh, running through her blood and filling her whole body, as if it was supposed to immobilize her. The gold-red female finally lowered herself, the simple words in her head slipping out of her mouth as she cried, "I knew it…I knew he'd be back…I should have seen this coming…I shouldn't have come back…"

Once she had said this, the gold-red queen felt Munkustrap's heavy paw resting on her shoulder in reassurance, "Zela…this isn't your fault…" his tone was dappled in bits of sorrow that sounded less than confident.

All of the toms examined at the wall while she was staring at her paws that had accidentally stepped in the blood puddle that the kittens lay in. Zela winced as tears streamed down her face. "I knew he was after me. I knew he was going to try…I knew he was coming back for me…"

Munkustrap shook his head as he stepped forward to study the giant red 'M'. He looked back at the Zela and sighed, "You don't know that for sure Zel."

The gold-red queen gave him an incredulous look as she wiped away her angry tears with her paw and soon pointed at the blood message, "You think _that _doesn't mean anything Munk? You don't think this was left for me?"

The silver tabby checked where she was pointing and then raised an eyebrow, looking rather concerned, "Zela…what do you mean?"

Zelaphelia's eyes widened in disbelief. She felt her face contorting in a glare as she stared at the message and then shifted her gaze towards Munkustrap, "Can you not see-"

_-No one else but you and I can see that message Zela, _a voice in her head suddenly told her. Zela flinched back at the sound of voices in head. It quickly spoke again, _Zela, relax! Don't freak out, it's just me. It's Misto. Sorry I had to scare you like that. I never told you mystics can telepathically talk to each other. Oh, and if you're going to answer back, be sure not talk out loud._

Zelaphelia looked over Munkustrap's shoulder to look at Mistoffelees. The tuxedo tom was seemingly avoiding her gaze, which was obvious, but Zela was still so tired, confused, scared, and slightly angry that she decided to humor Misto's voice, though she was new to telepathy. The gold-red queen grimaced at nothing while Mungo and Tumble mumbled their theories to Munkus on the Hidden Paw's newly apparent signa. She didn't dare look back at Misto though. _Wh-what do you mean… wecan only see-it?, and why can'twe ju-ust talk aloud? _Zela heard the magician chortle at her stumble of mental words. She suppressed a glare as she waited for his answer.

It didn't take too long: _I don't think Munk needs to know this kind of information… unless you think he should, _the conjurer began, _That message Macavity must have left you? He hexed it, I think. It's under some heavy dark magic that only mystics can see. Completely invisible to non-magical cats. Looks like he wanted to keep it private._

Zela shook her head in complete disbelief. This was all happening too fast for her to even comprehend half of what Misto had told her. She turned somberly away from all of the toms and the bloody "M" and observed quietly the six red-washed kittens. She couldn't help but think that it was all her fault, despite Munkustrap's reassurance that it wasn't. If she hadn't gone back to London, Macavity would have left the kittens alone. He would have never done anything to the tribe. No one would have gotten hurt. The gold-red queen glared at the scarlet liquid moistening the dirt and flowing over the ground like ice dripping over heat. Zela felt nothing but hatred for herself. _If I hadn't had been so stupid… _she thought bitterly, _If I had stayed as far away as possible, they would all be alive, Plato wouldn't be sick, and Misto wouldn't have gotten hurt…_

_You know, I can still hear everything you're thinking to yourself, _Misto's voice commented quietly, _but Zela, things still would be terrible if you __didn't __come. Macavity would stop at nothing to see the tribe destroyed, he would have gotten to us eventually. Jellicles would have gotten hurt either way. And Jenny and Jelly said that the puncture wounds that have infested Plato may very well infest me soon enough. But I've only been consciously aware of that fact for about 45 minutes and have had no side effects that resemble Plato's. Whatever's happened is a patter. Something up, but I just don't know what…_

Zela silently listened to his explanation, but wasn't exactly paying attention. She was looking over each body of the kittens. Not only was she welling up once again, she felt a pain in studying all of them; the pain of knowing that this could have been avoided. None of the kittens would have been lying there, suffering through the worst of agony and only to die in a relatively slow pace. It must have been hell, and those kittens couldn't even speak yet. The gold-red female thought quietly about what it would have been like if she hadn't gotten involved. The kittens would have probably grown up normally. The little patched tom, Giacomo would have been a brilliant mystic, especially with Misto as his teacher. The other two males, Delano and Lazarus, could have been great candidates to be Alonzo's prodigy and as protectors of the tribe. Argetta would have probably been such a graceful dancer like Victoria was, Kalendre could have probably been high enough in importance to be close to the Jellicle Leader, and Vitalee… the beautiful little Vitalee…who knew? With little acknowledgement over what she was examining at, Zelaphelia unwittingly witnessed her stifled Goddaughter. Nothing worth looking at that wouldn't make her burst into a new set of tears. Then seeing it…she noticed something peculiar; something she assumed was a trick conjured by her eyes. Or maybe it wasn't… a twitch? The smallest of movement in a little chocolate brown paw. The Jellicle queen stood up, and stared at the supposedly dead kitten once more.

Most possibly, she had seen surge of jolts in the little Vitalee's body. She thought, perhaps she had seen it wrong, and it was a simple illusion of her mixture of emotions, but the twitching began again. Zelaphelia's eyes widened as she sharply turned to the toms. "Munk!" she exclaimed alertly.

Munkustrap looked back from the dead end wall and walked over to her, "What? What is it?" he asked simply out of curiosity, and not looking where she was.

The gold-red queen couldn't even speak in words what she had seen. She felt a blatantly created shock overtaking the nerves in her body as she stared behind the silver tabby. With no other way to communicate, Zela simply pointed her paw at the one shaking kitten, and had unwittingly lost her voice and backbone…

~^..^~

Mistoffelees looked over Munkustrap, trying to see what the flushed-faced Zelaphelia was pointing at. He leaned over his shoulder uneasily and looked over the gruesome bodies promiscuously. It made him feel uneasy that he wasn't just thinking about six dead kittens emotionally, but also logically. He hadn't gotten the chance to examine the bodies; not when Tumble had found the mark of the Hidden Paw up on the dead end of the alleyway, and then the strange message that was seemingly left for Zela. It made sense in his head. The gold-red female was the one who could see visions of the present, so she would know where the henchcats took the kittens. Killing them was making a little evil scene and showing Zela and Munk everything he was capable of doing. When looking over the lifeless bodies, he saw that most of where the blood was coming from wasn't from any large gushing wounds, but from small ones spurting from exposed areas such as corruptible arteries in their necks, thighs, and tiny wrists. It was truly an ugly scene and an unforgivable act.

Mistoffelees shook his head at all of his thoughts and examinations, but one thing in particular puzzled him; Cassandra and Alonzo had given him responsibility as a godfather to their oldest son, Giacomo. What was the most unusual thing was that the little tom-kit's throat had been cut open, mainly on the correct vein that ran to his head. His fatal injury had spilled the most blood. Macavity must have had it all planned out, but why kill the oldest differently than his siblings? It didn't make sense. The tuxedo tom turned himself a little closer, finally trying to see what Munkustrap and Zela were staring at.

When he saw the exact point, his jaw dropped in unusual shock. He saw the body of Alonzo and Cassandra's youngest daughter, Vitalee. She was twitching in the puddle, trying to nudge herself elsewhere while lying face-down. The red liquid would sway on her mouth and nose, practically drowning her while she was barely in half-inch puddle. She kept squirming, somewhat trying to mewl for help, but only seeing that she was failing every time the waves of blood began washing over her face and half of her body. The conjuring cat gasped, taking a step back as Jerrie and Tumble had stepped forward to see what the commotion from Zela was about. By the time they saw it, she had gotten out of her state of shock and was able to look more closely at it.

Munkustrap didn't react once seeing the kitten; he was quickly studying over it and sooner or later, he was able to jump out of his stance. He turned to Zela once, and then looked back at Mistoffelees. His expression wasn't reasonable, but the dark outlines cornered in his blind-blue eyes told Misto that he was both confused and shocked. He blinked, looking between the two mystics, and then to Mungojerrie and Tumblebrutus. "We'll get her to Jellyorum, quickly," he said with urgency in his voice. The silver tabby turned to the Jellicle queen, "Zela, you'll get her there, won't you?"

The gold-red queen turned and nodded accordingly. She quickly walked over to the blood-bath scene and scooped the small Vitalee gently in her arms. The kitten was now quietly mewling, and obviously must have been in serious agony or some sort of discomfort. The blood on her body rubbed over the Zela's white chest as she held her close like a human mother would a child. Mistoffelees turned to Munkustrap, swallowing vigor in his mouth. He ignored everything that could have said at that moment besides, "What about the others?"

Munkustrap stared at the young magician, and he saw something in his eyes of unnecessary consequence; fear. He walked over to the bodies, and grabbed black garbage bags that hadn't been utilized conveniently. He handed them to Tumblebrutus while looking over both Zelaphelia and Misto. "The rest will be carried back to the Junkyard…" he said.

Zela stepped forward with a slight scowl, "Using…_trash bags_? Munkustrap, that's hardly a proper way to carry our dead."

The silver tabby looked over her sadly and then stared at the ground, "We have no other way, Zela…" he whispered. This sounded almost reasonable in Misto's mind unfortunately. He didn't _love _the fact that that was the way of carrying them, but there wasn't a better option.

Zela, however, didn't seem as convinced, "But Munk-"

Suddenly, the Jellicle guardian turned to her with a sullen face, "-If you have a better way, then please share it!" He paused as they glared at each other. The inferno between their gazes seemed almost powerful enough to crack the ground open if one of them should look away.

Zela merely clenched her teeth and narrowed her eyes down on Munkustrap with something that looked like hatred. Mistoffelees came closer to her, trying to relieve the pulsing tension, but she merely stepped back a ways. With nothing to say, the gold-red queen lowered her glare to the ground, and strangely nothing happened, but the tension only grew from there on. Munkustrap sighed, and was able to lift the strain from his voice, "We'll bring them back in the bags. We don't want Cassandra and Alonzo seeing them like this…"

Everyone was avoiding Munkustrap's stare at that moment, because they knew he was right, and frankly no one seemed to be looking at each other. There was an unidentifiable awkwardness that shifted the search party in a frozen pause. Finally, Misto swallowed hard and found the ability to move out of his thawing stance. He walked silently to Tumblebrutus, took a bag, and then headed towards the dead kittens. He looked over them once more, this time with more compassion and hurt swarming around in his chest. It was the hardest thing to look at; five kittens, all lying on the ground in a blood-soaked grave. Five lives cut short by small injections into their blood streams. Five Jellicles. Gone. Erased…forever. Whatever had happened; whatever Macavity did to them; Misto swore that he'd find a way to make sure nothing like this would ever happen again. He didn't know what he had to do, but he would do something; whatever it took, though he wasn't sure how long he had now, due to the fact that he was supposed to be sharing the same fate as Plato in a brief period of time…or was he?

Something wasn't right to the tribe magician. Things just weren't connecting in his head. Macavity had finally revealed himself out of all the confusion, so at least they knew whatever was happening wasn't spontaneous, but three things were off in his mind. One, he wasn't being affected by whatever was injected into his system, which meant that this…toxin…was either taking longer to alter him or that maybe it wasn't the same thing Plato had been injected with. Two, Macavity killed Giacomo by slitting his throat and letting him bleed to death, and not by the same method he used on the other kits. Why would he do that? Was he just _that _insane, or was there a method to his madness? It was uncertain either way. Three, the kit, Vitalee, wasn't dead. For some reason, she had been injected with the same toxin as the other kits. Why hadn't it worked on her? The only thing certain in Mistoffelees's mind was that there were too many questions; too big of a mystery for him to handle on his own. Whatever Macavity was planning, and whatever he was using to do it, the tuxedo tom knew he needed to figure it out.

Misto grimaced, and sighed quietly as he placed his hand beneath the body of little Giacomo. He lifted the kitten into the black bag and wrapped it carefully like a package. Tumblebrutus, Mungojerrie, and Munkustrap came up next to the grief-stricken magician and repeated the same action with the other four, all looking solemn and causelessly guilty. It nearly broke each of their hearts, knowing that kittens were dead, and knowing they would have to go back to the Junkyard and face the tribe with the corpses of their own family. And seeing Cassandra and Alonzo's faces were going to make it ten times harder…

~^..^~

Macavity and four other henchcats had returned to the Warehouse much later that afternoon. Benthelo had been one of the four, which made Marcetheus's life a little harder during his free time. The tortishell tom had come into the open areas of the Warehouse that most of the henchcats would come either running through or just come to relax from a job given to them by the Napoleon of Crime. Jezabella told Marceth that he could take the afternoon off do to his languid work. He really didn't have anything to do during the day anyway. So, in all tedium, the tortishell tom decided to converse with a few henchcats about warehouse life at the moment, debating hateful thoughts over the Junkyard tribe, and current jobs that had been keeping them busy, which did well for Marceth for a while; then Benthelo showed up. The black tom traipsed into the open den cockily, looking smug at that particular moment. No one needed to talk to Ben to know he had gone on a job with the Hidden Paw. His face told an entire story of heart-racing excitement, and Marceth could already hear the august words fluttering out of his mouth. And if anyone knew how the assassin henchcat thought, they'd know he would go boast to the one he found the least impressive and make his way up. Obviously, the least impressive to Ben would be the tortishell guardstom.

Marceth had been lying on a packaging delivery paper that had been sprawled over several stacked wooden crates that toppled over the henchcat's area. Ironically, he had been talking with Ben's littermate brother, Ramloweram. Ramlowe had been unusually friendly without his twin around. The caprice of the torturer made absolutely no sense to Marceth. Maybe he was just a jerk when he was with Benthelo. The smoky black tom came walking over to the two of them with a smarmy grin. "Oh, hey guys." He said with his voice was oozing in mockery as he stared at the tortishell tom.

Marceth would have probably told him to bugger off, but he was distracted at the sight of the black tom's paws, which were looking coated in liquid and tracking red steps through the Warehouse. He looked at the assassin henchcat in mild interest. Ramlowe greeted his brother quietly, "Hey Ben…um…so where've you been?"

Benthelo scoffed as his grin stretched on one side of his face, "I was on a mission with _Macavity _and his _number two. _You know, Barnabas? Yeah, him, and Macavity, and some old torturer brought me along to do some…sabotage with the Jellicle tribe." Benthelo's tone of voice was dark and malice, but he spoke as if this was a completely casual thing.

They stayed in silence for a couple seconds, and then Ramlowe finally got his begrudging congratulations out, "Wow…sounds…great?" Marceth sensed a little bit of envy in Ramloweram's voice, but wouldn't point it out for the sake of being mocked by both brothers.

Ben gave a sadistic grin, "Oh yes, extremely great. We took care of some of the Junkyard brats that we stole from the Junkyard, and impaired a mystic cat. Let's see those weak-minded fools stand-up to Macavity with _that _kind of defense!" He was chuckling madly in a way that almost made Marceth scared of him.

But instead of cowering at Benthelo's dark thoughts, he was scanning the black tom's words in his head and thought about what he was implying, "Wait, what do you mean you _took care _of some Jellicle brats?"

Ben turned his head, looking glad to see that the tortishell tom had finally spoken, "Oh yeah, we got hold of some stupid kits and the boss had us kill them. You'd think Jellicles would have cared for their young enough to be watching them more carefully. Idiots."

Marceth stared at his former friend for a short time in disbelief. He knew he should probably be jealous that Ben got to go out on missions with the Napoleon of Crime and he probably never would, but what was concerning him more was the fact that they had killed kittens. Even if they were Jellicles, they were only kits. Macavity would kill newborns just to get what he wanted? Well, he knew that the ginger tom was powerful and thirsted for vengeance, but murdering kittens wasn't exactly the sanest of qualities for the Warehouse leader. Marceth stared at the both black toms, feeling alone in his thoughts and unaware that they were staring at him. The tortishell sighed, "Sounds…awesome." He lied quietly, still a bit stuck on what to think about this.

Ben snorted as his grin widened slightly, "Hey, no need to be jealous, Marceth, just because you're stuck underground and I've already been on an out-of-headquarters mission…oh wait…maybe you do then. I'd be insulted if you weren't actually."

Marceth came out of his heedlessness when hearing of the black tom's words, and when he realized the ridicule, he frowned, "Then you should be more insulted, Ben, because I wouldn't envy murdering kits for even half of the glory you think you possess."

Benthelo scoffed, staring at the tortishell tom, and unimpressed by the statement, "Their Jellicles. It's not like they're important. And not exactly your smartest move, standing up for them. Then again, you've never really had a smart moment, have you Marceth?"

Marcetheus glared at Benthelo, but didn't really have any witty comeback to throw at him. The black henchcat seethed, and then chuckled slightly, "Better not get caught being so soft-hearted towards _them, _Marceth. Could get you into bigger trouble than you realize, and I'd hate to see the only guardstom dead. Who will watch those Jellicles rot in their cells?"

The tortishell tom sighed, not really up for finishing the conversation, mostly because it made him uncomfortable. It was all just throwing offensive words at one another. With probably the smallest bit of dignity left in him, Marceth got up from his spot and began walking away from the brothers. He bumped Benthelo's shoulder purposefully as he did. He felt the hate and rivalry surrounding all three of them, but the most tension was between him and Ben. He hadn't really cared for the black tom, or his twin really, but it wouldn't matter much. Macavity had given him a mission that was probably more important than killing kittens. At least he hoped it was…

~^..^~

Alonzo stared over the horizon of a late afternoon. His heart was racing with worry, wondering if Munkustrap and the search party would come back with his kittens. He kept telling himself that they were alright, and everything was going to be okay. His positive outlook was fully to keep himself hopeful, because Cassandra was a complete mess. She was clinging to him as if her life would end if she let go. She had been sobbing nonstop since their kits' disappearance had been discovered, and what made it worse was that he couldn't do anything to make her happy besides listen to her and try to convince her that everything was going to be fine. In his head, he couldn't believe the words coming out of his mouth. His doubt was overwhelmingly powerful; powerful enough where he found no control over it. The bi-color tom began questioning his own confidence in what could possibly be persisting in the search.

Of course, he was remaining hopeful, for Cassandra sake, which was growing more and more difficult when they hadn't come back for quite some time. Alonzo sighed, turning to his mate as they sat on the hood of the TSE 1 car. Almost every Jellicle was wandering around, some trying to comfort them, others anticipating Munkustrap's arrival as much as they were. The hardest part to decipher from most of this traumatizing experience was what Macavity wanted with their kittens. He pondered why it had to be them to be going under this torture, and what could possibly be happening to their kittens. Alonzo sighed, remaining optimistic, and hoping that Zelaphelia wasn't going to be too late. _No, _he quickly thought, _she's NOT going to be too late. The kittens will be fine._ He needed to tell himself this to stay hopeful enough. If Zela saw where they were, then there wasn't a doubt in his mind that she'd find them.

It wasn't long after he thought this, that Cassandra finally looked up from her blubbery state to stare at him, "Lonz…" she whispered, her voice cracked and flimsy.

Alonzo stared at his mate, feeling both sympathetic and empathetic at the same time, "What is it Cass…?"

"D-do you think they're okay? The kits…" she sniffed, seeming to hold back more tears.

The white-black tom stared at her, and studied the words that came out of her mouth. Of course there was only one thing he could say, "I do, Cass. I think Munk and Zela are close to them. They'll find the kits and they'll bring them back safe to us…"

The dark Siamese queen faintly smiled when hearing this, "I think so too…" she whispered.

She leaned a little closer into her mate, and he gently brushed the tears away from her face. Cassandra looked awful from all this crying and nervous breakdowns. She was usually so composed and relaxed, but seeing her like this was almost tragic. No one had ever seen Cass so broken up inside and out. Not since birthing the kits at least. Now, it appeared that she may have found some good optimism to hold onto. Alonzo sighed as he squeezed her tightly in an embrace. He felt the softness of her fur and felt the love and confidence radiating from her. The dark Siamese was probably stronger in more than one way, and that would obviously keep her calm. The bi-color tom couldn't wait to see her tooth-bared smile when Munkustrap found the kits. When they all came mewling to her and she held them close to her chest. He could picture his mate kissing their almost-lost kits in the most affectionate motherly way imaginable. He saw them all growing up, and not having to go through another terror of Macavity. They would be safe, unharmed, and everything would be better.

Suddenly, the white-black tom sensed something strange. His ear twitched twice as his head came up in alertness. Cassandra leveled with him as it seemed they both felt a presence enter the Junkyard. Possibly Munk and the searchers? The kits? Or better yet, both? The couple couldn't wait to find out. They simultaneously jumped from the hood of the old jalopy and sprinted to the closest entrance of which they sensed the felines from. A few Jellicles followed close behind them; Jellyorum especially. Alonzo could feel his instincts pulling on him; beckoning the two parents closer and closer to what waited ahead. He felt without a doubt that it was Munk with his kits. It had to be. They ran faster and faster, adrenaline and determination being the only energizers to the couple. As they did, Alonzo could feel his kits. He saw Giacomo's gleaming smile, and Kalendre's gentle sky-blue eyes. He saw Delano's mischievous grin as he swiped at an unfortunate rodent, and Argetta twirling around in circles, making herself dizzy. He could see Lazarus beaming at the sight of his parents, and Vitalee's pristine and enchanting face. All of his kits would be there, ready to greet their parents eagerly. That was all that Alonzo wanted at that moment. He wanted his kits with him.

Finally, Alonzo paused to catch his breath. Cassandra stayed with him in the narrow path. He could almost make out the silver lining Munkustrap's coat. It was appropriate, seeing as the Jellicle guardian was their only optimistic view. At first, the white-black tom thought it was simply his eyes playing tricks on him, but this time, he knew that it was Munkustrap. And he could make out the searchers right behind him. They were each carrying something delicately in their paws. The kits perhaps? Alonzo couldn't wait to find out. He and Cassandra quickly ran to meet the silver tabby tom with excited grins. But the closer they got, Alonzo could feel his smile fading quickly. His pace slowed as he stared at Munkustrap confusedly. They didn't have the kits, just trash bags. Why would Munkustrap bring back trash- Then the realization hit Alonzo like a smack on the forehead; it was definitely the worst blow to hit him, and at first he didn't want to believe it. But as they came closer, it became abundantly obvious. The black and white tom stopped, feeling himself frozen in both shock and horror. Cassandra began walking without him, but soon she began slowing down. Alonzo could barely move his heavy paws forward to get closer to his mate.

But it only made it worse. His heart was aching from the fact that he knew, and he didn't need Munkustrap to walk up to him with his garbage bag with a solemn face, which he did. The two mates stood closely together. Cassandra still seemed a bit oblivious to what was going on, but it didn't take long for the message sink in. "No…" she whispered.

Munkustrap sighed as he kept his eyes looking at the ground. He held two black bags in his hands that were wrapped in a bloody mess. They were body bags now. "Cass…Lonz…We…we tried…we thought we'd make it…we were too late…I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…" The silver tabby had tears streaming down his face.

Cassandra's first reaction was to grip the bag in Munkustrap's arm. Alonzo tried to stop her, but she nudged him away and twisted the wrappings open to see what was inside. When she finally reached her goal, the dark Siamese queen had sunk to her knees. New tears were produced in little time. "No…please…no…I thought you had them…You said-…they'd be okay… no… No…! NO!…No…no-o…" Alonzo witnessed his mate sprawled on the ground in complete devastation. He stared at her and the bags in each arm. All of his kits…dead…

Alonzo was about to join his mate on the ground, until his eyes met Zelaphelia. She looked different from the rest of the search party, because she was the only one without a body bag. The black and white tom stared at her curiously, and what was in her arms. Suddenly, he gasped. A small dark Siamese queen was sitting quietly; her chest rising up and down. Alonzo stood up as his heart filled with hope, "…Vitalee…?"


	11. A Reforming Divination

_"No…please…no…I thought you had them…You said-…they'd be okay… no… No…! NO! Please…no-o…" Alonzo witnessed his mate sprawled on the ground in complete devastation. He stared at her and the bags in each arm. All of his kits…dead…_

_Alonzo was about to join his mate on the ground, until his eyes met Zelaphelia. She looked different from the rest of the search party, because she was the only one without a body bag. The black and white tom stared at her curiously, and what was in her arms. Suddenly, he gasped. A small dark Siamese queen was sitting quietly; her chest rising up and down. Alonzo stood up as his heart filled with hope, "…Vitalee…?"_

~^..^~

Three days passed swiftly by after the murder of Cassandra and Alonzo's kits was discovered. And what was three depressing days in the Junkyard, felt like months in Demeter's mind. They'd discovered two things these past few days: Macavity was the cause of all of this, and Plato showed no signs of improvement; and it was at this that the gold queen felt hopeless. She was witnessing the tribe tear themselves apart. Munkus had told everyone about the injections of a toxin, and pointed out good points of why he kept it secret; something about comprehending what they were up against or something of that nature, but after his confession, the tribe was pointing paws in every which direction. The older members were beginning to question Munkustrap's abilities to control the tribe, a few were looking at Zela for some answers about the trademark Macavity had left, and for the benefit of a doubt, practically every feline in the Junkyard were openly discussing outraged opinions about the Hidden Paw's involvement. Things were worse than ever as the tribe was losing the sanity and hope that remained with them.

However, not everything was going wrong. Cassandra and Alonzo were still mourning for the loss of their kittens after commemorating them with a small funeral two days after. However, they were overjoyed that one of their kittens had not been lost; the tiny little Abyssinian queen-kit, Vitalee had survived. Every cat in the Junkyard was confused from Misto's discussion about what he recollected that day. The fact that the one kitten had survived was a miracle, but the tribe magician was still baffled, and as a result, he and Jelly agreed to study what killed the kits and what was still affecting Plato. It was an overwhelmingly sad situation that the Junkyard tribe was in, but Misto declared that not all hope was lost. Now that he had blood samples from the bodies of the kits, they could look further into what this toxin actually was and how it could induce felines. Cassandra was now extremely overprotective of her kitten, but she agreed to let Jellyorum examine her while they tried to figure things out. Not really all that bad, but then again, there was still the matter of Zela.

The poor gold-red female had gone into a depression since she came back into the Junkyard from the search. She wasn't in any sort of shock that Demeter had seen, but she looked fairly shaken, and worse, her daughter had isolated herself in her den. Zela was horribly devastated, and would barely speak to anyone, as if she were lost in her mind. Demeter could barely get her to eat, and sleeping had not been easy for her. No one seemed to be as mindful of Zelaphelia as much as Victoria, the Rum Tum Tugger, Mistoffelees, and Electra. Vicky came into the gold-red queen's den unannounced several times, but only left with slight tears in her eyes. Tugger, for some reason, had grown an interest in Zela, which disturbed Demeter and made her curious as to why he suddenly cared about her so much. The gold queen wouldn't allow him to see her without someone with him for her own paranoid reasons though. As a result, Tugger came frequently with Mistoffelees. Demeter didn't mind it as much with both toms trying to help Zela, but it rarely seemed to help. She even got Jenny away from Plato long enough where she could just check on the gold-red female. The Gumbie cat claimed she would be fine in a few weeks, but that seemed too long a time. Demeter wanted her daughter back.

The gold queen had decided to visit Zela again just to check-up. It hurt Deme to see her in this frightening despondence. She thought perhaps it had been caused by the lost kits. Munkustrap explained to her that Zela had been saying awful things when they discovered evidence of Macavity during the search. She was blaming herself for everything that happened, and it didn't matter what anyone said, she was feeling genuine hatred of herself. Demeter entered into Zela's den quietly. She looked around, seeing the scratched-up rugs and carpets draped around abandoned wooden furniture. Her eyes finally casted away from the small den to see her daughter curled up on a rug that rested on top of a pulled-out upside-down dresser drawer. She didn't even look over at the entrance to see who had come in. She was simply lying there, looking dreadful and abased. Demeter sighed, walking in slowly, and putting on a faint smile, "Zela…?" she called softly.

The gold-red female looked up slightly, but then just averted her eyes back to the ground. The fur on her face was matted down from the jagged line of dried tears. She whimpered a little before mumbling a few words: "Mum…I really don't want to talk right now…"

Demeter seethed as she came in closer to her daughter, "That's fine." She said, "You don't have to talk. I just want you to listen to me. Okay?"

Zelaphelia stared at her mother for a few seconds before looking away to stare at something else. "Alright…" she sighed.

"Good." The gold queen murmured. She hadn't really expected Zela to be cooperative, and hadn't really planned out what she was going to say. Demeter's lips curled back as she gazed from the ground to the young Jellicle queen several times before speaking, "Well… Vitalee's been getting better. She's up again and walking around…Cassandra won't let her out of her sight though," the gold queen chuckled a little, but turned serious again when she saw that Zela didn't look amused at all. She sighed, "Zela, what happened to the kits wasn't your fault. You have to accept that. And with all the blood samples, Jelly's finally agreed to try inventing a cure with Misto's help. Things are getting better for us. There's nothing you have to worry about."

The gold-red female looked up at her mother and sat up. Her face was blank, but pale. She had dark lines on the indents between her eyes and nose, and she seemed sluggish and bent over from exhaustion. She truly did look awful, "Please don't say that, Mum…" she whispered, "If I didn't come back, then none of this would have happened. Sure, Vitalee's safe now, but what happens when Macavity decides to strike again? Don't tell me things are going to get better for us. They can only get worse as long as I'm still here. I knew coming back was a stupid idea… Everywhere I go, chaos follows…No matter where I run, Macavity's going to come looking for me. No matter what I do, he'll always be one step ahead … I don't have a way out …"

Demeter seethed, the thought of Macavity suddenly launched in her mind, and it gave her slight uneasiness thinking about how much Zela sounded like her, but instead of reacting, she put her paws on her hips and raised an expectant eyebrow at her daughter, "Don't talk like that, Zela. He may have done this, but he'll get to you over my dead body. Macavity will never find you. I promise you that."

The gold-red queen stared at her mother with tears in her eyes, "Mum…there are some things…I didn't tell you about…When I was living with those two cats up north… we were attacked by a Pollicle… We killed it, but I saw that there was a cut shaped like an M on his neck… I knew then I was endangering the cats, which was why I left them and decided to come back. I thought I could hide in plain sight. I was horribly wrong, Mum… It only made things ten times worse."

Demeter listened quietly as Zela spoke. The thought of a Pollicle dog dominated by Macavity scared her. The ginger tom's empire was growing more than she expected, and Zela was in the middle of it. The gold queen frowned, deciding to sit next to her daughter, "Zela…why didn't you tell me about this when you came back?"

Zelaphelia wiped away a few tears, staring at the ground, "Because I didn't want to worry you… I knew anything with Macavity was going to endanger the tribe, and I completely ignored my instincts…I did all of this…"

Demeter sighed, wrapping her paw around the gold-red queen's shoulders comfortingly as she thought over the words. Macavity was getting to everyone, including Zela. He was working his twisted way into their thoughts and tormenting them; harassing everyone with his serious threats. What was unbelievable was that the tribe was turning against each other, and none of them realized it yet. The gold queen scowled as she looked over her daughter, and deciding she didn't really know what to say to comfort her. "Zela… worse things have happened. Macavity's tortured the tribe years before you came along. It isn't your fault, it's his. He's chosen his path, and we all must find ways not to get caught into his little mind-games. We won't let him win, ever."

The gold-red queen looked up at her mother seemingly inspired or hopeful, which was what Demeter was hoping to accomplish at the time, but Zela didn't seem thoroughly convinced. The gold queen grinned, "Hey, maybe I can get Quaxo and Victoria to talk to you, and I'll speak to Munk and see what he thinks about this, okay?"

Zela sniffed, and faintly smiled as she hugged her mother. Deme smiled back at her and held her close. She felt that this was probably one of the more motherly moments she had had with her daughter upon her return. What hurt was the gold queen realized that all this talk of Zela wanting to leave again, she wasn't going to have these moments with her much longer. She was frightened for the young Jellicle female, and seeing her leave again was going to be more painful than anything. Perhaps maybe she could convince her to stay at least until after the Jellicle ball, but that could come later when the gold-red queen got through this self-tormenting. Demeter sighed, tightening her embrace once and then loosened her grip to scuttle out of the den...

~^..^~

Quaxo lifted his head out of righteous meditation, just trying to think about the conjunctures that endangered the Junkyard. Macavity left his traces of himself all over the murder scene, and was fairly obvious about it. He seemed to want to keep Zela's implication a bit more secretive though. Quax was trying to piece it together, which proved not to be as easy as he hoped. He tried once more to tap into Macavity's thoughts or a henchcat's mind, but he was blocked off by some sort of mental energy that surrounded the Warehouse. It was impossible to access into any thinking process that resided there. The tuxedo tom groaned at his attempt of infiltrating the Hidden Paw mentally, and decided to give up on trying for now. He was feeling overly tired anyway from doing anything about helping anyway.

Quaxo sighed as he looked around at where he was. He was sitting on the bonnet of a rusted pick-up truck that he been ripped away of most of its scraps. The vehicle sat right outside of the tom's den, and he figured this was pretty convenient for him if he wanted to sit around after awhile. After all, he was exhausted. Using up all of his mental energy tried the tuxedo tom physically. He sighed, looking over the Junkyard, mildly interested. Everything was calming down after the funeral of Cassandra and Alonzo's kits; no one seemed quite the same though, except for him. Besides the fact that he was going to be a father in seven weeks, and that he was injected with a toxin he knew nothing about, Quaxo actually felt fine. There were no side-effects similar to Plato's. It was confusing that he wasn't as sick as him by now. The tuxedo tom had a theory of why, but he couldn't get it straight in his mind…

"Hey Quaxo!" a light voice called to him.

Quaxo's head turned curiously to the source of the sound. He smiled after discovering Demeter padding towards the rusted truck quickly. The tuxedo tom stood up and nodded politely in her direction as a greeting, "Afternoon, Deme." He said quietly.

Demeter leaped up on the hood of the car and smiled slightly. For being his mother-in-law, Quaxo always heard the gold queen always was able to hold her own, which he found true, looking back on any experience he had with her. Demeter cleared her throat and sighed, "Quaxo could I trouble you for a favor?" she asked quickly. She seemed in quite a rush.

Quaxo half-grinned, "Of course, Dem. Just don't be so formal, will you? You know I find it distasteful when my family talks like I'm an acquaintance."

Demeter chuckled, "Of course, Quax. I was just hoping you could find Vicky and go talk to Zela for awhile while I go talk to Munkus?"

The Tuxedo tom grimaced, "She still stuck in that den, huh?" he asked quietly.

She hesitated before answering, "Yes… She just needs felines to talk to right now… Maybe if someone can get her out of the den long enough, she'll brighten up…"

Quaxo nodded and smiled at the gold queen as she stared down at herself ashamedly. He found this a bit sad of Demeter, but since after the kittens' funeral, everyone seemed in grief, so he didn't blame her, "I'll do my best, Deme." He said tenaciously.

The gold queen gave him a grateful smile and then quickly headed away from him to go into hers and Munkustrap's den. The tuxedo tom sighed, half of him being curious as to why Demeter seemed so anxious to talk to Munkus, and the other half concerning himself with Zelaphelia and her depression. He grimaced, leaping off the bonnet of the truck and onto the hood, wondering where he could find Victoria, until he heard a gruff voice speak behind him: "You're not going to find Vicky, because _I _need to talk to Zela too."

Quaxo quickly spun around on the hood of the truck, and saw Tugger sitting above him inside an old bookshelf. He grimaced and shook his head at the Maine coon. "When are you going to learn to stop eavesdropping on other Jellicles' conversations?"

The leopard-spotted tom shrugged, "I don't eavesdrop, I just overhear."

The tuxedo tom rolled his eyes, "Fine. Whatever. But why the heck do you want to go anyway? You could just talk to Zela on your own, you and the Everlasting Cat knowing why."

Tugger chuckled amusingly before standing up, and leaping onto the hood of the vehicle to meet with his old friend. He got somewhat serious in his facial expression, "Demeter won't let me near Zela unless someone 'responsible' is with me, and she just happens to deem _you _responsible."

Quaxo grimaced as he stood up and stared at the Maine coon, less amused with him now, "Tugger… Deme asked me to do this for her, and Zela kind of needs comfort, so I don't think it's a good idea if you see her."

Tugger didn't respond beyond a nonchalant shrug and simply made his way to the end of the hood, "It wasn't really a question, Quax." He replied quickly as he leaped off and began padding his way to Zela's den.

Quaxo rolled his eyes, knowing that once Tugger had his mind set, he didn't change it, which got him into more trouble then he even realized over the years. The tuxedo tom then grimaced, deciding that he might as well make sure his friend didn't get into trouble now with Zela, knowing it would probably get _him _into trouble too. Actually, Quaxo knew very much about Zelaphelia and Tugger's little fling together after accidentally catching on to the golden-red female's thoughts. He thought it was completely inappropriate, and probably improper of him to be doing nothing about it, but neither of them would appreciate it if he did. For now, Quaxo decided not to comment on their situation and just focus on Zela right now. She needed the most help at the moment, and he had an idea of how he could do it too…

~^..^~

Munkustrap sat in his and Demeter's den in a ponderous state of mind. He quietly traced water around the dry spaces of the floor from beneath the leaky steel pipe that acted as a guide to lead a small stream of sewer water out of the den, which kept this particular part of the Junkyard from flooding. He frowned, thinking about the tribe, and about his malicious brother…half brother, rather. The disaster of the kits' murders was devastating to the Jellicles, especially Cassandra, and surprisingly Zelaphelia. Well, actually it wasn't all that surprising. She was blaming herself for their deaths, and, like Demeter, Munkustrap could sense a strange fear of Macavity developing in her, the kind of fear that could fluctuate into submission.

That wasn't the only thing that was bothering him. The tribe elders were beginning to question Munkustrap's leadership skills because he and several other tribe members never mentioned that Plato was back and sick with a disease that they didn't know much about. Maybe it wasn't the wisest idea to do that, but Munk had no idea of what was running through the calico tom's veins, and he had no idea if it could do any harm to anyone else. There was much more on his mind though; especially about Macavity who had imposed a new threat on the Junkyard, which Munkustrap was hoping wouldn't happen. The silver tabby tom mentally sighed as he thought over what was going on, and how he, the leader, could sort through it gently and still protect the tribe.

"Hey Munkus?" a voice he immediately recognized as Demeter's called to him.

Munkustrap's thoughts were immediately interrupted by his mate's abrupt utterance. He came out of his pondering, and fraudulently smiled as the gold queen quietly walked into their den. She grinned back at him and padded gracefully up to his face. The silver tabby sat up, glad because he hadn't talked to his mate in days, "Hey Deme…" he greeted, half with a slight irascibility. Not that he found the intrusion congruous, but just that he felt less than pleasant about having to partake in conversation with Demeter, which he rather not do at the moment. He still needed to think up an idea to handling Macavity and protecting the tribe, and she probably wouldn't be much help while interrupting him.

The gold queen sighed, sitting down next to the silver tabby, "So…how've you been?"

Munkustrap scoffed, as if the answer to her question was fairly obvious, "I've been better…" he muttered, with a hint of sarcasm lodged in his throat. The silver tom grinned at his mate, then quickly let it fall as he faced his own paws, and turned away from her sadly. He was mostly in his own mind, and trying to ignore the fact that his mate was there so he could focus on the tribe. So much was happening, and he had reviewed it over and over in his mind. "First Plato gets sick…" he mumbled, "then the kittens were m-murdered…and now Macavity's back…" This was all to himself really, but Deme happened to be listening intently.

Her lips curled back as she came much closer to him and rubbed against the side of his face. His expression didn't change, and neither did hers. "Munk…" she began hesitantly, "with everything that's been happening…I feel like…you've been drifting… and I just want you to be okay… You've been too stressed for your own good, and you were getting so much better since Deuteronomy left the tribe-"

"I know, Dem…" he interrupted quietly. His gaze lingered towards her once, but only to find himself back in his ponderous mood, "I've been trying to calm down, but there's too much going on. I can't just relax whenever I want to. I have a tribe to run." All of this was in a fairly impassive tone, which Munkustrap hoped was just to get his point across neutrally.

Demeter grimaced, tipping her head slightly to the side, as if to examine him and his words. "Munk… I know you're busy, and I understand but… there are more important things at risk, and you need to realize that."

Munkustrap raised an eyebrow and craned his neck closer to her with a look of benignant interest. "More important things, Dem?" he asked, partly jeering her words, "Like what?"

The gold queen shrugged, "How about the fact that you have two daughters to look after, and one step-daughter that's completely dejected, and needs _everyone_ who can help her."

At these words, Munkustrap could no longer feel mild and somewhat calm. Her last sentence sliced through him, reminding him that he had even more to worry about than just Macavity and the tribe. He still needed to speak with his daughters, which he hadn't done in a long time. And when he looked at his mate, he was reminded that he needed more than anything to protect her as well. Everything she said was killing the silver tom a little more and keeping his mind in a non-resilient caution. It was worse, knowing he could do nothing for them except what he as the Jellicle leader was capable of doing, which wasn't much since his last fight with Macavity. He didn't want to admit it, but slowly, Munkustrap was losing his strength, and the stress was taking its toll. He turned to Demeter sharply, a frown being worn on his face, "Deme, like I told you before, I have enough to worry about. There's a tribe that depends on me to protect them. I've been busier than ever trying to plan out anything I can! Everyone's been on-edge for days, and I've seen it especially in Zela, but Macavity's planning something big, and I don't have anymore time to share with anyone, including Vicky and Electra and Zela, and if you want to see this Junkyard remain in one piece, then maybe you could understand what I'm going through!"

All of this was said pretty harshly, and made the gold queen's face twisted in surprise and distaste as she rose to her feet, "There are some things you know are more important than the tribe. While you're trying to handle things diplomatically and strategically, you're missing your daughters' lives. Did you know Electra's went to see Zela four times in the past three days when she trapped herself in her den? And did you also know Vicky's been helping both her sisters also, _while she's pregnant? _They've had to take care of themselves more than you have the past few days. You've been neglecting our family, Munk, and they come before your duty. I thought we agreed to that when we mated..."

"Deme, I-…I know… I -…I can't…I…I …auhg!" Munkustrap couldn't say anything to that. He merely turned away from her with a scowl contorting his face. He didn't want to believe the words coming out of her mouth. It was true; he hadn't known Victoria was pregnant, which he wondered why he was never told about. But then…maybe because of being so busy, he'd been able to make excuses not to make visits with his daughter. Then of course, there was Zela; the queen who helped find the dead kits, and seemed to regret everything she'd done in the tribe so far, and now she was in an emotional coma. The silver tabby sighed, just wanted things to get better. He wanted to make Deme happy and be able to care for Victoria and Electra and Zelaphelia, but they all wanted something he couldn't give them right now. Not while Macavity was on the loose and plotting against them with his ambitiousness stronger than ever before. He heard Demeter inhale gruffly as she stepped forward a ways, "Munk… I love you… but I need to make sure that you have the strength to do everything that's being asked of you right now. I want to help you, but I need you to help me first…"

Munkustrap looked back at his mate, slightly frowning, but realizing how genuine and loving those words were. The silver tabby sighed and walked towards her. He realized how much Demeter was putting up with while staying with him. She was sacrificing almost as much as he should have been. He loved her, and he wondered briefly how she could ever love a nutcase like him. Munkus smiled at her, touching her cheek and kissing her lightly; he only wanted her and her love at that moment, and needed this to simply get him through his current leadership issues. He quickly parted their kiss and gazed into her dark forest eyes, "I'll… I'll talk to Zela for you Dem…" he murmured, with a veritable grin, "I'll make it better…I promise."

~^..^~

"Hello Zela!" a cheerful voice quickly infiltrated Zelaphelia's den and gave her a slight headache at recognition. It was Quaxo, obviously, but she decided not to look at him, fearing to see a smile, which was the last thing she wanted. What was there to smile about in this forsaken Junkyard? Five kittens were dead… and it was her fault. Everything was confusing the golden-red queen, getting into her head and seducing her into darker memories and thoughts. Cheerfulness seemed pointless.

Quaxo quickly spoke again, reducing Zela to listening, "Demeter asked me to talk to you, and…" his voice quickly toned down into sourness, "_Tugger _decided-"

"I decided to tag along." A charming voice suddenly rang into her den. Zela's head rose slightly, wanting to see the Rum Tum Tugger, but not positive if she should or shouldn't. She sighed, deciding to risk it and spare a glance at the two toms in her den. She first saw Misto, and the silly grin she had expected. Then she saw Tugger, and felt almost joyful. He certainly looked better than she felt. His gold and brown mane was glowing over the sun's radiance, and his amber eyes seemed to catch light as his gaze passed over her. His smile, as usual, was pleasant and enchanting. She was trying to circumvent his handsome luminescence, and focused on being serious. For one thing, Zela couldn't believe she was falling for the Rum Tum Tugger, but she couldn't help it. He, of course, was a charmer.

"So Zel," Quaxo said in a sudden whirlwind, as if trying to separate Tugger and Zela's gaze from each other, "I know you've been really depressed since…the kittens…" he paused, staring up at Zela promiscuously, then got his positive disposition back, "But I think that I have an idea to give you some confidence back." His grin suggested something that promoted Quaxo's persona completely: his…cleverness. The gold-red queen decided to listen broad-mindedly, deciding that anything that could help her was worth trying. Quaxo quickly continued, "Remember when I said that we could talk to Tanti and Cori later? Well, I thought maybe, if you talk to them now, they might be able to steer you in the right direction. Get you out of this deep dark hole you're in…"

Zela frowned at the magician, slightly raising an eyebrow as she pondered over his request. She knew Tantomile and Coricopat were powerful prophets of a different species. The only thing anyone truly knew was that they could look in the past, and vaguely sketch out the future. The golden-red queen heard stories of when cats came to them in search of guidance, they revealed small pieces of their future, and give them the most plausible advice they could conjure in their duopolistic mental connection. She knew she'd receive no sympathy for her emotional breakdown, which actually sounded relieving to Zela. She stared at the tuxedo tom for a few moments before whispering in a dull impassive tone: "I…guess…If you think it'll work…"

Quaxo's grin stretched out further as he clasped his paws together in an eager manner and stood up pleasantly, "Good!" he exclaimed, turning himself half-way towards the exit, "I'll go and find them now." The magician began walking a bit towards the archway that was her "door", but before he left, he turned to Tugger, "Why don't you try your 'talking' now." He said in a low acerbic mutter.

The gold-red queen thought of this overheard statement while listening to the tuxedo tom leave her den hurriedly. Zela didn't really think about it her friend was gone, but she suddenly realized that she was alone with Tugger again. This hadn't become too big of an issue between them, but at that moment, Zela felt like she and him were complete strangers, circling each other aimlessly with no little ambition but to simply stare. Zelaphelia sighed, not really looking at Tugger, but keeping her gaze to the floor of her den. She heard Tugger exhale and walk over to her side slowly. The golden-red female was still lying over the upside-down dresser drawer lethargically. She felt the Maine Coon sitting near her as it took a fair amount of time for him to cease hesitating; "So…Zel…" he murmured, gazing at her with a strange look, "I know that…you know, you've been pretty… sad lately…and…Well… I just want you to know that… I'm here if you ever need anything."

The gold-red queen smiled faintly as her head rose to glance at the leopard-spotted tom. She almost chortled, "So the great Rum Tum Tugger's offering me help, really? That's a bit unlike you, Slick." Zela's brow wrinkled, unsure of why she used her own unique brand of hypocorism.

Tugger chuckled lightly turning his head over with a specious look in his amber eyes, "Well, thanks for ruining that when I was being completely genuine, Zel."

Zelaphelia stood up slightly, and grinned for the first time in days. She didn't know how, but Tugger just brought out the vivacious part of her, which she supposed was good. "I guess. But I was just surprised you didn't try to pull the moves on me or anything."

The Maine Coon scoffed, grinning back at her, "Pulling the moves on you, Zel? Would I do something like that?" This was completely sarcastic, which was perfectly discernable. It would have made the gold-red female laugh if it weren't for the fact she was retaining her seriousness. Tugger continued, "But if I remember correctly, and I do, you've flirted with me more often than not."

Zela stared at him and quickly shook her head in a delayed reaction, "What would make you think that?" she asked sincerely.

He shrugged, "Well there was the little incident of last fall when you kissed me…twice."

In a sudden realization of the truthfulness in his statement, the golden-red queen raised an eyebrow, her grin slightly fading, "Hey, the first one doesn't count because it was a _peck _on the cheek, and the other one was... just to say good-bye."

Tugger seemed less amused by this, but kept his loose composure while retaining some earnest behavior at the subject, "Yeah, but… I still count it." He smirked slightly, not really staring at her anymore.

Zela stared at him, realizing that he was avoiding what she'd brought up. "Tugger… do you think that…maybe I shouldn't have came back? Maybe none of this would have happened…"

He thought silently, and seemed hesitant somehow. Finally, he shrugged, "I don't know, I mean… you came so fast, then you left, then came back, then left for nine months, and now you're here again. To tell you the truth, your nomadic moods swings are kinda weird for me."

Hearing this made Zela's face contort into a confused look, "Weird? Well, I guess I understand what you mean, but does my choice really surprise you _that _much that I don't want to stay in one spot?"

Tugger glanced at her once, seemingly emotionless, "I dunno, Zela… I mean, I waited for you to come back because of what you did. I wanted to see you again, and now you're back and…" He unknowingly trailed off in thought.

Zela stared at him, thinking about what he could have possibly meant, "Huh…I never really thought you knew what you wanted; especially if it included me." When the gold-red female heard this coming from her own mouth, she regretted it instantly.

The Curious Cat erased his smile as he stared her down, looking rather disturbed and disgruntled. "What makes you think-" he sounded as if he were about to get into a harsh rant, but to Zelaphelia's relief, Quaxo abruptly showed-up with the twins.

"Okay!" the tuxedo tom quickly exclaimed, forcing Tugger to stop and listen, "Cori and Tanti agreed to see you… and will start when you're ready…alone of course." His face turned to the leopard-spotted tom with an expectant grin. Tugger didn't return it. Instead he stood up and quickly strutted out of the gold-red female's den without even giving her one glance. She felt uneasy about that. Had she said something to the Maine Coon to get him upset with her?

She didn't even have time to ponder this. Tantomile and Coricopat strode harmoniously together to her side. They both looked deathly serious, but genuinely concerned. Zela stared at their golden eyes illusively, but was getting too lost in them. She quickly turned herself over to Quaxo to ask him a question, but she found that he'd left as swiftly as Tugger did.

"Would you like to start, Zela?" Tantomile asked from behind. The gold-red female turned back to the twins who were both sitting in an identical and completely poised stance. Zelaphelia felt her lips curl back slightly as she stared at them with uneasiness.

She noticed the striped twins grasping each other's paws and they both were holding out their other out to her. The gold-red queen was fairly uncertain about doing this with the mystics, which Coricopat must have heard in her head, "It's alright Zela. We want to help in any way we can."

"You just need to trust us." Tantomile added aside her brother's statement.

Zela, as tentative as she was at this moment, decided that they were probably two of the wisest and most omnipresent felines in living existance. She hadn't known anyone more foreseeing and as close to the Everlasting Cat than them. Knowing everything that was at risk, Zelaphelia silently grasped both their paws, and before she realized what they were doing, the twins' minds formed into an inscrutable and mystical meditation, which she hadn't known was a type of fascination that twisted into her mind and traveled through the connection of both the magical realm and the gold-red female's psyche.

No one spoke, and Zela knew it would have been extremely wrong to disturb the silence as they mentally read through her thoughts, her memories, her past, and possibly her future. The golden-red female waited patiently, feeling the flow of magic running through the three of them, and an abrupt overwhelming calmness relaxed her every muscle, coining a strange boldness that she hadn't fully recognized before. It was a new mystical anomaly Zelaphelia felt must have been created from the three mystics' magical union.

Suddenly, both of the twins released their grasp on the Jellicle queen's paw, tossing themselves back slightly. They both looked at her simultaneously with serious dispositions. Zela leaned forward as Coricopat began speaking, "Zela…" he began in a rough whisper, "…We saw a divination of you…"

Tantomile quickly picked up his statement, "We saw your heart being torn between the two worlds you will forever love."

"-You will live in both for a long spell of time-"

"But you will never remain happy in one without the other."

The twins quickly positioned themselves comfortably as they shifted closer to her. They continued with their voices in unison: "In the future, you will lose something, you will gain someone, and your loved ones will suffer in the choice you made from those two things…. This process of the future will repeat three times in the next year… We only see a bleak outlook. The only way to see happiness is if you create it…"

Zelaphelia was listening to their omen searchingly. She knew from what they described, anything revealing the future was going to be fairly vague. When they found an opportunity to pause, Zela leaned in to ask a question, "What should I do, though? What do I have to do to start this… process?"

When hearing this question, the twins stared at her, straining to answer it. When they finally let go of each others' paws, they blurted out one sentence, "You must confront the one you fear the most… Macavity…"

And with that, the twins collapsed from mental exhaustion and Zela was frozen where she sat. Her one fear, realized. How could she confront Macavity? ..._Why _would she confront him? He'd been hunting her down for a full year now, and was still trying to get to her and her family. Could she do this? Really? There wasn't really any other option. But there was so much to think over in the process. One, how, and two, why. She didn't understand why she needed to do this, but if it was going to help her dark future and the tribe in any way, perhaps she could create a better future… maybe.

**A/N: Okay, so I realize this chapter is actually a bit longer than my most recent. You all know writer's block? This week, I updated so fast, I think I had writer's adrenaline. YAY FOR ME! And did you all notice my change in profile picture? This would be colorless humanly shaped Zelaphelia that I drew about a year ago. :)**


	12. Desperate Decision Making

_**A/N: I'm so upset that I got writer's block right when I'm getting to the extra awesome part that will either make you hate me, or love me! Yes, I am foreshadowing in an Author's Note. I call it creative ingenuity. Don't worry, you'll understand later in the fic. P.S. Please check out my new poll so I have a fanfiction summer project! PLEASE. **_

_"You must confront the one you fear the most… Macavity…"_

…_Her one fear, realized. How could she confront Macavity? ... He'd been hunting her down for a full year now, and was still trying to get to her and her family. Could she do this? … She didn't understand why she needed to do this, but if it was going to help her dark future and the tribe in any way, perhaps she could create a better future… maybe._

**~^..^~**

The wary afternoon briefly lasted, and the sun was near the west horizon, creating an aura of blazing orange and red. The blinding light touched the night air, faintly sketching the darkened shadows of the Junkyard. There was no florescent streetlamp brightening London just yet. The evening was a simple pre-setting of the little day left for the Jellicles. It reminded Victoria of how precious the little hope was to the tribe at that moment. The irrelevance of darkness would be stronger than ever if they were given a flickering flame to destroy any relentless torment that night could send to them.

Victoria remembered when things were a bit more normal; when she was probably the smallest kitten in the whole Junkyard, aside from Electra. She remembered when Zela wasn't in the Junkyard, and no one knew of her existence. Those were days when Macavity wasn't trying to hurt them constantly. In some ways, Vicky felt like blaming Zela for almost everything. She waltzed right into their lives, made herself perfectly comfortable, and then betrayed them to Macavity. And after winning back everyone's trust and abruptly leaving, she comes back and brings Macavity among them once more. They dealt with a series of attacks because of him and the golden-red queen. It was either for this reason that Victoria was upset with Zelaphelia, or the fact that she was taking Misto away from her.

Yes, it was a petty thing to conclude to. Her mate spent so much time with her half-sister that the white female gained a small insecurity. Zela was getting all of the attention, and everyone was so concerned about how this was affecting her and Plato and Cassandra that no one was thinking twice about the newly pregnant queen of the Junkyard! No one gave her a second glance, not even Jellyorum, who was also stealing the tuxedo tom away now and again, but it was for a legitimate reason. But it was Zela who kept acting like she was in distress since the kittens died, though this was an extremely insensitive way to put it. She felt awful for her sister, but was no one going to watch out for her now? Victoria was seldom envious of anyone when she was little, but ever since the gold-red female came, everything was different.

Suddenly Victoria's ears twitched, feeling a presence of another feline behind her. She turned herself from the mattress she sat on that was sprawled across several junk piles that were not too high from the ground, but still got a good view of the sunset. She noticed a bright glare off a glittering coat, and the white queen quickly realized that it was her mate. She smiled happily, glad to have seen Misto again. "Misto!" she exclaimed, turning herself around to face the tuxedo tom.

Mistoffelees smiled cordially, and hopped up next to his mate in a flurried manner. Vicky embraced him vehemently, which turned out to be stiffer hug than she pictured. Misto parted from her and smiled happily, "Vic…" he murmured, "How are you feeling, love?"

Victoria grinned, trying not to look too bright by the question, "Oh, I've been feeling fine, Misto." This was a lie, naturally. The white queen was relentlessly trying to make it look like she wasn't having any problems, despite being pregnant for almost four weeks. She wasn't sure why she couldn't simply tell him what was bothering her. She was hoping it was simply her mood swings that were making her feel so negative. Not just towards Zela, but to anyone. She wondered briefly what else could possibly overtake her while she was carrying kittens.

Misto's eyes were still filled with concern, which pleased Victoria greatly. He came closer to her and stared down at her paws, "You don't have to lie to me, Vic." He said quietly, "I know I haven't been with you for awhile, but I've just had a lot on my plate. If you need anything-"

Victoria chuckled before nuzzling into her mate's chest, "No, Misto. I'm just fine! I've been dizzy a couple times, and I've eaten a little more, but it's been a good few weeks. Can't say the same for the past few days though…" Her mood suddenly turned melancholy as she turned inwardly to the tuxedo tom and smiled up at him.

Mistoffelees smiled back at her as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and held her close to him. They curled up together on top of the mattress, despite it being completely unsanitary. He shrugged and looked out to the sunset, "I know what you mean… I've been trying to sort it all out, but it's just too much being thrown at the tribe. Jelly and I are still trying to help Plato, but we aren't having much luck with the cure. And I've been trying to help your sister, but she's just been depressed, and all she's been doing is sitting around in her den. She's in a dead-state. I just asked Tantomile and Coricopat to come and help her, but I'm not sure how that went yet. I'm telling you Vic, I feel swamped." Misto suddenly chuckled, in spite of himself, "You know, I now know how Munkustrap feels."

The white queen chuckled with the tuxedo tom. She hated how troubled he was, but in ways, he did seem an awful lot like her father. Victoria nodded as she sat up to look at him straight-forward, "How are things going with the cure? Is there anything new?"

Mistoffelees shrugged, "I don't know, really. Jelly and I just started our research. We're searching through her medical books, using samples from the blood on the kits, in Vitalee, Plato, and I even drew some of my own blood for tests." The tuxedo tom merely shook his head, "So far, it isn't going very well, but Plato's condition is fairly steady, so if we're lucky we might find something that might at least cure his symptoms."

Victoria nodded, trying to keep up and understand everything he was saying, "Well, maybe things will start getting better, and it might start to calm down soon-"

Suddenly, a voice broke out from not too far a distance: "Misto!" It screamed.

The white female groaned, knowing this was going to ruin her moment with her mate. Mistoffelees looked away from Victoria and stood up on the mattress as he stared around. She reluctantly followed in his stance, and suddenly saw a rushing golden-red shadow that was thrust from the shadows. The white queen almost grimaced as she saw Zelaphelia heading up towards them hurriedly. "Misto," she said again, seeming to be out of breath, "You won't believe it! You won't believe what the twins said!" The gold-red female stopped just to retrieve her breath, but then quickly jumped up onto the mattress to meet the mates.

Mistoffelees untangled himself from Victoria and stood up. She could no longer smell his heavy and sweet scent of smoke and magic. His whole attention span seemed to have shifted from his mate to her sister. This frustrated the white queen, and made her resent Zela just a little bit more for taking hold of the engrossment that was rightfully hers. Maybe it was a selfish thought, but didn't she deserve at least one moment with her mate alone? Reluctantly, Victoria looked up at Misto and Zela, the tiniest bit interested in what the gold-red queen was talking about. She didn't want to be annoyed by her half-sister. She was sincerely hoping that it was just being pregnant. Mistoffelees half-grinned, "How did it go? What exactly did they say?"

Zelaphelia didn't even sit down. She seemed in too much of a panic. Vic put away her petty insecurities long enough to be concerned. Zela inhaled and exhaled sharply, "Basically, they were reading in my thoughts, and they told me that… in one year's time, I'm going to lose something, gain someone, and the ones I love are going to suffer from my decisions. That whole process is going to happen three times…"

Misto nodded in understanding, "Okay so… that will happen three times in one year?"

"Exactly." She answered. The tuxedo tom nodded again and looked like he was about to say something until Zela quickly opened her mouth again, "And that's not even the worst part. They told me that I have to confront Macavity!" When they heard this, the mates were vocally put at a stalemate.

Zela rolled her eyes as her mouth went agape, "That's what I did! Oh Heavyside… this is a disaster… How am I supposed to do this, Misto? I knew I'd have to deal with Macavity at some point, but actually _confronting _him? It's impossible! There's no way I'd get near the Warehouse without getting my throat ripped out!"

Misto's face finally unfroze as he shrugged disagreeably, "Well, maybe that's not entirely true, Zel. You kept saying that he's after you, and he's going through all this trouble so he can get to you. Maybe he's actually expecting you to come to him." –He slyly grinned- "And besides, I doubt any of the henchcats would be able to rip _your _throat out."

Victoria grimaced, as she got past her unexpected reaction of Zela's shocking news, and found the need to vacillate about her mate and sister again. She was bewildered if she was jealous of the gold-red queen or upset with Misto. Either way, the last one with her was going to get a tongue lashing, and she wasn't even sure what she would say to either of them. The white female sat aside from the conversation, feeling like the third wheel, which she knew she shouldn't be feeling. Victoria was pretty sure that having anxiety was bad when pregnant.

Zela quickly smiled but then sighed again, "But now I'm not sure what I should do. I can't just walk into the Warehouse and try fighting him. And even if I do go, Macavity still has more power over me, no matter what happened last fall. I'm screwed basically! If I leave, Macavity will win, and if I do nothing, things will just get worse!" The gold-red queen through her paws up in frustration and paced complicatedly on the mattress.

Victoria watched her sister, and decided to end her silence, "Well, Zel, I suppose… the only thing you can do is what you think will be best… for you and the tribe." Her words were vague, and somewhat meaningless, but it was all that the white queen could think of.

The gold-red queen paused and raised an eyebrow at her sister. She quickly sighed, "I know… I'm just not sure what that is. I know I have to face him… I just don't know how…"

Misto quickly stepped forward and looked like he was about to say something, but their whole conversation was quickly interrupted with someone else's voice: "Zela! Zela, where are you?" It was too far away to recognize, but the gold-red queen quickly reacted.

She stood up and stared around, "…We're back here!" she called hesitantly. Before any of them realized it, they saw a silver tabby rushing to their little convocation. Victoria could have sworn that all three of the young adults had some sort of surprised reactions, which were executed at the same time.

Munkustrap looked at each of them individually, and when his gaze passed from his daughter to her mate, his frown deepened. While the protector still stared at them, and glanced at Victoria's stomach, he spoke to the gold-red female softly, "Zela, I need to speak with you. Now."

Zela didn't seem too hesitant, but she did slowly crawl off the mattress and wandered past Munkustrap and back into the shadowed path that lead into the main area of the Junkyard. Before she left, the silver tom side-glanced her and began backing away, but kept his cold, unforgiving stare at the mates, "And I'll speak to you later," he said to them in a deathly quiet tone, "both of you."

Victoria hung her head in shame, for she knew perfectly well why her father was acting so icy. He knew about the pregnancy. She didn't know how he knew, but he did, and the white queen couldn't have felt worse about it, considering she was about a third's way through, and she'd only told Misto, Zela, and Demeter. She never even mentioned it to Jemima or Lectra, and they were her best friends. What was wrong with her? Why was she suddenly being so secretive and insecure? This didn't feel right. For the first time, Victoria felt guilty. The two Jellicles stood there together in an awkward silence, thinking to themselves what they had done. Finally, Misto turned to his mate and raised an eyebrow at her, "Vic…are you okay?"

Victoria shot a glance at the tuxedo tom and shrugged, feeling defeated and tired, "I don't know… everything with you, and Zela, and my dad, and the kits… I just don't know anymore…"

Mistoffelees grimaced and stared away from her. He looked as if he were avoiding her gaze. Instead of looking at her, he simply walked over to her and wrapped his paws around her waist. He held her in a tight embrace, and didn't speak a word; the magician just held her like she was a kitten. Victoria wasn't sure if she was exactly comforted by this, or why Misto suddenly got so emotional, but she did feel good to finally feel a private moment with her mate…

~^..^~

It didn't take too long for the streetlamps to begin lighting the Junkyard. The white florescence showered down on the Rum Tum Tugger while he sat on a wide metal platform hanging ten feet from the ground. Ironically, he was hiding from all of the queens, and circumventing attention toward himself. Everything that was going on seemed to bug him, which was confusing because he rarely cared about any of the problems that defaced the tribe. However, the Maine Coon did know when to be serious, and whether it was for the Macavity attacks that Munkustrap had been describing, or Zela's little depression. But what was on his mind at that moment was what the gold-red queen had said to him: that he didn't know what he wanted. The thought had been haunting him the moment she said it. But it wasn't her or her words that were upsetting him. Tugger was thinking more about how bewildered he was. Maybe because of who he was and who he had become through the years… maybe he didn't know what he wanted. He knew he liked Zela a little more than the other queens. He knew that he wanted to spend more time with her, and the Maine Coon knew for certain that he missed her and cared about her. But the golden-red queen was so confusing to him. She was going through Hell, and there was no way of knowing how to help her. What was he supposed to do?

"Hey, Tugger." A voice suddenly purred from below. The Maine Coon groaned when hearing the death of his peaceful silence. Reluctantly, he looked down to see a scarlet queen smirking up at him. Tugger scowled, and looked away from her, but he knew she wouldn't go away, no matter how he acted to her. As he predicted, Bombalurina leaped forward on a few spare automobile parts that were steadily piled-up. She gracefully stepped onto the platform and sat herself down. "What's up with you?" She asked mockingly, "You look down."

The leopard-spotted tom growled at her, but she didn't react. Tugger rolled his eyes in bitter annoyance. He really just wanted her to go away, but she didn't seem to read his mental thoughts. The Maine Coon groaned, "I'm _fine, _Bomba. I'm having a rotten day, that's all."

Bomba blinked, seeming genuinely surprised, "What happened?"

Becoming even more annoyed with the scarlet female, Tugger scowled at her and turned away, "What do you care, Bombs? You only ever seem to torment me. Since when did you ever want to know how I feel?"

In sudden amusement, Bombalurina tittered as her eyes smiled gleefully, "Oh, Tugger. Even after a few years, you're still a naïve fool."

Tugger's scowl only deepened, "Hey! I'm not naïve, and I'm not a fool. I just don't see why you seem to care about how I feel at all. What's_ your_ excuse?"

The scarlet queen shrugged as she looked at the air for a few seconds, "You just look down, Tugger. What's been going on? You don't seem like yourself lately. All this time, you've been moping around, acting so helpless. You're not the sarcastic, thick-headed tom I've usually enjoyed. What's got you …-wait... It's her isn't it? Zela? Is she the reason you've been skulking around the Junkyard?"

Tugger didn't answer her question, mostly because he had no idea how to. Bomba's words brought up a blank page in his head, and made him unable to think anything of Zela. "Bomba…" he murmured quietly, "Do you think that… I don't know what I want?"

The scarlet queen raised her eyebrow, looking surprised by the question, "Well… I don't know Tugger…maybe. Why? What does that have to do with-"

"All this time, I thought that I was fine with being curious about other cats; being myself." Tugger gazed at the scarlet queen and sighed, "Being everything that everyone either loved or resented… being the Curious Cat. But now I keep thinking maybe that isn't what I want. I can't stay this way forever… but I don't want to give it up."

Bomba stared at him, grimacing and putting a friendly paw on his arm, "You know…you've always been a strange one, but everyone loved that about you. You were different. How can you decide that everything about you suddenly isn't working?"

"I don't know Bomba." He groaned in slight frustration, "Maybe it is her. She's like every queen I've met, but I'm more attracted to her than any of them. I thought maybe it was because she was like you. Pretty, smart, charming… Hell, she's probably more like you than Demeter! But that doesn't seem to matter. I don't know why, but I'm still so confused by her."

Surprisingly, the scarlet queen didn't mock him for this seriousness that was so unlike him. Instead, she shrugged, "Maybe she's just a charmer, like us. That might be why. We were together once, and well… she is related to me. But she's a lot more serious than we ever were."

The Maine Coon stared at Bombalurina. She was still as smart as she was when he was still with her, but he wasn't necessarily sure if he believed her. "I don't know, Bomba… It's so confusing, and being serious… Maybe I don't know what I want… Not from her or from anyone else."

Bomba sat down closer to him, and what was so surprising was that she seemed more serious and understanding than he would ever expect of the saucy female. Tugger thought about this, and allowed her to stay next to him. The Curious Cat realized he did want someone to talk to, and the only queen that really understood him seemed like a good cat to be company…

~^..^~

Munkustrap walked quietly behind Zelaphelia as she led the way from the borders to the den. He was contemplating once more on everything that was happening. So far, he got about half of it straight. He knew Macavity was involved in what happened to Plato, somehow. He also knew that his daughter was pregnant and neither she nor her mate told him. This was frustrating, knowing that he wasn't sure exactly what was going on in the Junkyard, but he knew that he had to start calming down or he'd probably die of stress overload. But none of that seemed to matter now, because the silver tabby formulated an idea in his head, and Zela was one of the vital parts.

He knew Demeter would never approve of what he wanted to do, but he already got Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer in it on his way back from talking to Deme, and he just needed Zela to join in and maybe this could work. With some hesitance, the silver tabby glanced forward and paced a little faster near the golden-red queen's side. "Listen, Zela…" he said in a quiet tone, "I know you've been through a lot, and your mother's made it quite clear to me that you need some help."

Zela looked over at her step-father and sighed miserably, "She's too worried. And I did get some help, actually. Misto helped me. He got the twins to see me, but I'm still trying to understand everything they told me…"

The gold-red queen rubbed the back of her head as the silver tabby nodded, seeming to understand. "Their messages can be fairly obscure, but I'm sure you'll understand it later. I don't usually go to them. I don't trust myself with the future. I feel like I should know what I know so I don't run into worse things."

Zelaphelia nodded, grinning slightly, "I guess so… I hate being so confused. I usually know what to do in these types of situations, but… I've been so lost these past few days. I'm confused, but I still want to help. I just don't know how…"

Munkustrap paused, wanting to smile at that reaction, because it seemed to work for him on what he wanted to ask her. He knew he should probably wait to see what Deme thought, but he didn't want to wait. If he could just get into the warehouse, he could get through Macavity's defenses and find out what he was hiding, and whatever it was that the ginger tom had planned could be used to find a cure more easily. Once they cured Plato, things could get back on track. But he needed cats who knew the area. Quite suddenly, the silver tabby stopped, as if having a stroke of brilliance and excitement. This was the first positive thought he had all week; of course he was going to remain elated about it. Munkus watched Zela turn around to look at him. He sighed and looked at her as if she were some hope left in his position.

"Zela, I know it's been a confusing couple of weeks, and I know you're not in the best condition. Trust me, no one really is, but today, I got an idea. We now know that Macavity has something to do with what's going on. The blood samples on the kits apparently matched Plato's. It's a scary thing, but if Macavity is behind this like we expected, maybe something he's got could help us… I know it's a lot to ask of you, but I need Jellicles that know the warehouse. I need you to help Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer. I asked them earlier if they wanted to do some spy work around the Warehouse, and they said they'd help. If we have three of you, maybe we can find what we're looking for. I know… it's probably a little petty to start spying, but I'm desperate. I want the tribe's safety more than anything right now Zela, and I need your help to do it."

Once concluding his small explanation, Munkustrap stared at the gold-red female, almost begging with his eyes for the aid he sought. Zelaphelia didn't really react any way he expected her to. She seemed removed from the conversation, as if her mind was somewhere else. She didn't look too excited about this, which he expected. Teazer and Mungo had reacted much the same way. The silver tabby tom sighed looking at his paws in some anticipation, but then was able to look back up at his step-daughter with the hope of an answer.

The gold-red queen finally looked at him, "Munkus… I don't know… I don't know if I'm ready for something like that… Does my mother know about this?"

Munkustrap shook his head ashamedly, "No. I didn't tell her." This thought actually shook him a little, knowing that he hadn't even talked to Deme about what he thought about everything. Had he grown that much clandestine? The protector discarded the thought and turned back to Zela, "I know it's a lot to think about. If you need time to consider it, I'm willing to wait for the plan to be executed. Is that okay?" He raised an eyebrow at her as if she were a kitten being asked a simple question.

The golden-red female nodded and looked around quickly, "I… I'll think about it." She said simply before going in a direction perpendicular from his. Munkustrap watched Zelaphelia leave him quickly, and with a breathy sigh, he decided that he should probably include Demeter in this little plan since it did have her daughter as one of the key points. That would work out well…

~^..^~

Zela stared around the Junkyard as she paced quickly away from Munkustrap. Her paws had grown heavy and were harder and harder to lift with every step. Her thoughts were clouded with the twins' words and the opportunity she'd just been given. The offer stood in front of the gold-red queen like a piece of the sky had dropped in front of her. She wasn't sure how to react to it, though. She could go with Jerrie and Teazer to the Warehouse and try to steal some of Macavity's secrets. If they got enough, it could help Jelly and Misto. Zela had the courage to think that something like this could work. But then there was the actual thought of going into the Warehouse and sneaking around, trying to find what they didn't know they were looking for. It could prove to be a difficult task very easily. Could she still go through with it? Could this be the way to confront Macavity?

Suddenly, the gold-red queen stopped, and stared over the tribe's home; her home now. If she went on this mission, it may be the last time she ever saw it. If Macavity found her, he'd never let her go. Maybe if she accepted the mission, it wouldn't count so much as coming face-to-face with her father, and simply be looking around for his property, and risking torture and death. That could be a problem, especially because she was basically surrendering to the enemy if she were to be found, and not to mention, Mungo and Teazer were there, which meant that they could just as easily be caught and captured by Macavity's stooges. If more cats got hurt on the gold-red queen's account, she would never forgive herself. How could she? Five kits were dead by Macavity's paws, Plato was barely clinging to life, and normal living in the Junkyard was in serious peril. Zelaphelia groaned, feeling so bewildered and stressed.

She knew she had to go somewhere. She had to find someplace to be where she could think everything through. Or maybe if she found someone to talk through it with it could be easier? Like the twins, or Mungo and Teazer, or maybe even Tugger. Zelaphelia slightly grinned at her own brilliance. Tugger would know what to do… or… at least he would listen to her, and give her some advice. Maybe she was beginning to be blinded by his charm. When she thought of this, Zela turned to the other direction, in hopes of finding the Maine Coon. She stared around, realizing that there were fewer and fewer Jellicles wandering around. They were probably all talking about what was going on, and that scared her, knowing how bereaving the Junkyard was becoming. When she looked around, her eyes caught a peculiar sight that made her pause. She saw Tugger curled up with Bombalurina. He was smiling at her, and she at him. They were together, and that confused and devastated the gold-red queen.

Zela was understandably not one to get jealous normally, but things were anything but normal. Quickly, the confusion turned to an abrupt rage and a flurry of assumptions. Zelaphelia could easily overreact to anything. She padded up to the high platform where the two sat together and stared upward. "Tugger." She called quietly, yet sternly.

The Curious cat and the scarlet queen looked down suddenly to see who was calling, and Tugger's brow quickly raised high on his face as he stared at the golden-red female. Zela could feel herself practically glaring, but she couldn't bring herself to calm down. Not after seeing this. Bombalurina quickly looked around awkwardly, and then looked back at Tugger, "Umm… I'll… I'll see you later Tugs…"

Bomba quickly hopped off the platform and crawled to the ground. She glanced at Zela with something of a questioning look, but then just sauntered away speedily. The gold-red female stared after her with a blank face, and quickly began climbing up crates to reach the platform that the Maine Coon was sitting on awkwardly. He looked over to Zelaphelia with his lips curled back and his paws facing himself. She could sense his mood just by his movements, and right now he seemed nervous… maybe upset.

The gold-red female sat herself on the platform and gazed at the Curious Cat with a frown, "What were you doing with Bomba?" she asked inquisitively.

Tugger looked up at her sharply, then tried to loosen his hard stare, "We were talking, Zel." He said, slightly grinning, "She wanted to see if I was okay, and I didn't have anyone to talk to. No harm."

Zela's eyebrow rose, "I didn't think there was…" she walked quietly to the other side of the raised platform, "but… you're okay now aren't you?" she inquired.

"Not really, Zel." He said at a side-glance, "I actually want to know if you were okay."

The gold-red queen shrugged, and looked down at her paws darkly, "I don't know Tugger…" she said, "Why… didn't you talk to me?"

"You were busy with the twins and your depression, remember?"

Zela's featured turned dark, but she didn't let it affect her too much, "I know. And I think they tried to help… but I don't know… so… what's really wrong with you?"

When the question came out, Tugger finally looked at her with some tranquility, "Nothing, Zel. I'm fine." But the second the gold queen saw his face, she knew he wasn't being truthful with her, and that was infuriating.

"You're lying to me." She said simply.

Tugger's brow wrinkled as he stepped forward, "C'mon Zel, I don't lie to you. Or do you remember nothing of the past few weeks, hm?"

The gold-red female scoffed, "I haven't been able to get past the last three days, if you can't recollect everything that's happened!"

"It's not exactly my job to keep track of everything, Zel." He said with a gelid tone.

Zelaphelia glared at him, "Then what is, Tugger? Hanging around and flirting with queens you're not with?"

Tugger raised an eyebrow, "Oh, so we're together now? I had no idea…" he laughed bitterly at his own sarcasm, "And I wasn't flirting with Bomba! We were talking. I told you that. But you don't believe me do you? You don't really listen to anyone but yourself."

Her glare intensified, "That's not true. How dare you accuse me like that!"

"Oh, so I can't say anything against you, but you can accuse me whenever you want! Now I know how it works, thanks for clearing that up."

Zela rolled her eyes, "Do you ever take anything seriously? Or are you going to act like a damn pollicle the whole night? Why do you have to take everything like a satire joke?"

Tugger narrowed his eyes on the gold-red queen, "Why do you have to overreact to everything?" Zela really didn't have an answer after that. He had shot a bull's eye in her head, and she couldn't exactly think at that moment. Before she could think of anything to say, Tugger continued, "You know, if you can't lighten up and be a little rational, then why are you talking to me? Why aren't you running, like you always do? You and you're stupid nomadic lifestyle..."

Zelaphelia scowled, feeling the anger sizzle her inside and boil to the rising point of her temper. She hated fighting, and he knew that, but he was seriously pushing her. She could barely look at him. Why was he acting so innocent, like he was doing nothing? Why couldn't one cat in the Junkyard understand her for once? "You know what, I will!" she screeched at him acerbically. With that, the gold-red female stormed off the platform and leaped into the air to land safely on the ground. She skulked away, leaving the Curious Cat with his jaw agape. She hated him for everything he said. He wasn't there for her when she needed it. The Rum Tum Tugger was instead flirting or "talking" with the scarlet queen. She couldn't take it. She was angry, and couldn't think straight. Nothing was going right…

When she got far out of his vision, Zela finally calmed down, but she was still very upset. Zela knew things weren't going to get better if she stayed around. Things would only get worse, which was proven through both the twins and Macavity. She had to blame herself for everything; because that way, she could find some way to make things right. And the only way to do that was to take any opportunity at hand. The golden-red female sighed, as she knew what she was going to do. She was going to confront Macavity, whatever the cost would be…

~^..^~


	13. A Bold Move

_Things would only get worse, which was proven through both the twins and Macavity. She had to blame herself for everything; because that way, she could find some way to make things right. And the only way to do that was to take any opportunity at hand. The golden-red female sighed, as she knew what she was going to do. She was going to confront Macavity, whatever the cost would be…_

~^..^~

When Munkustrap got back to his den, he found Demeter inside, and quickly explained his entire plan to her. The whole concept of three former Warehouse cats spying and stealing from Macavity seemed brilliant to the silver tabby, but Deme didn't seem to share the same opinion. The gold queen stared at her mate in the midst of lashing out on him. She didn't look happy by the suggestion that Zela would be put into harm's way; or maybe it was the fact that the young queen would be driven straight to Macavity.; "Munk, you've finally cracked, haven't you?" The gold queen said harshly with a look of astonishment, "After everything that's happened, how can you possibly think of putting Zela's life on the line? Did you even stop once to think that maybe _I _wouldn't want to take the same risk?"

Munkustrap rolled his eyes as he leaned back against a wooden plank, "You're overreacting, Deme." He informed her nonchalantly, "I know what the dangers are, but the three of them are highly trained, and the risk is extremely low if the plan goes right, which it will with all of them together."

Demeter gave him a dark look, "That's not the point. She'll be basically handing herself over to Macavity!"

Munkustrap frowned, "But she knows what she's doing! It hasn't been that long since she was in the Warehouse; you know that! As soon as she gets in, she can simply spy on Macavity, and Rumple and Jerrie can take whatever we need." the silver tabby paused and sighed, "Look, the worst case scenario is that they're caught by a few Warehouse guards, and even then, you know Zela's an unnaturally good fighter. They'll elude him, get the information back into the Junkyard, and foil Macavity. It's perfect!"

"It's insane!" Demeter rolled her eyes and raised an eyebrow at him, "And what exactly will they be looking for? Anything that Macavity is hiding?"

He nodded, as if this was to be common knowledge, "Yes. That's what Zela's part will be; she'll probably have the least difficult part of getting in and looking at what Macavity has planned. Whatever she finds out can be told to Teazer and Jerrie; they'll steal anything useful, and come back."

The plan was now thoroughly explained, and yet the gold queen didn't look the least bit impressed, "I don't like this. I don't want her to go."

"It's her choice." He said simply with a shrug, "You asked me to make her an official adult in the Junkyard, which means she's free to make her own decisions without your council."

Demeter gave him a weak scowl, "But you're forgetting, Munk. She's my daughter! I can trust that she can understand her options, but that doesn't mean I can't let her know what I think."

"I know Deme, but if you would listen to reason instead of making this insatiable presumptions, then she'll know that-"

Suddenly, a voice came from behind, "Um… sorry if I'm interrupting…" The silver tabby turned and sighed when Zelaphelia entered the den.

"No, It's fine" he said quietly.

Zela bit her lip and looked between the two of them, "I…uh…I just wanted to tell you, Munk that I want to accept the job with Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer."

Munkustrap gave a satisfactory smile to her, but he noticed Demeter's grimace in the corner of his eye. He was about to say that he was happy to hear her say this, but with his mate standing close to him, he didn't want to. The gold queen talked before him, "Now wait, Zela. You're not obligated to do anything..."

Zela nodded, "I know." She said quietly, "I thought about it, and I want to do it. If it helps the tribe, then I'll go."

Even with this confirming decision, Demeter persisted in convincing her otherwise: "But Zela, you really want to take that kind of risk?"

"My mind's made up, Mum." The gold-red queen stated tenaciously. Demeter looked disappointed and not exactly willing to surrender..

"But Zela-"

Munkustrap quickly stepped forward, "Demeter," he interrupted in a low tone, "She made her choice. She's going." The silver tabby knew this was horrible decision to try and push her, but he wanted the message to register through her head. Sometimes Deme just never got things. The gold queen stared at her mate, with a sore look of defeat and a flash of anger. She walked up to him and leaned against his ear. She whispered quietly enough out of Zela's earshot "_You're responsible if anything happens_."

"_Nothing's going tohappen_." he whispered back. Deme gave him a hurt look, and he knew he deserved it. The gold queen looked up at her daughter once, then turned to the exit and quickly headed out. Munkustrap sighed, wishing he had a better way to comfort his mate, and convincing her that Zela would be alright, but he had no idea how else he could phrase it in words. Zela spoke softly as her mother left, "Is she alright?"

The silver tabby tom turned towards her and raised an eyebrow, "Don't worry about her, she'll be fine. So, you, Mungojerrie, and Rumpleteazer will leave later tomorrow, or is that too soon for you?"

The gold-red queen blinked and shook her head, "No. In fact, sooner would be better. Tonight, how 'bout?"

Munkustrap gave a look of mild surprise as he dug his claws in the dirt floor of his den, "Are you sure? I don't know if…"

"No, the sooner we can get Macavity's plans, the better." The seriousness in her tone was chilling.

At that moment, Munkustrap felt his daughter was grandly prepossessing, which made him feel a bit proud of her, "Alright, Zela. You can tell Mungo and Teazer, and leave as soon as you're ready. They have the instructions and plans, but Zela; I want you to be as careful as possible. This is a dangerous mission, and your mother will have my head if you come out of it damaged."

The gold-red queen shook her head and gave a breathy sigh, "I know she's worried and all, but I'll be alright. We'll get back in the morning, or earlier, maybe. Thank you, Munkus. I'll do my best." Zela nodded her head appreciatively and quickly headed in the egress.

The Jellicle Guardian smiled as he watched her leave. He thought about how brave she actually was, leaving the tribe; risking her life for them. She and Mungo and Rumple were going to help them, or risk pain of death by Macavity by doing so. But when Munkustrap reassessed this in his head, the words made his plan sound more unpredictable than he had convinced himself it was. Munkustrap sat down and twiddled his thumbs, having second thoughts on his whole plot. He may as well have sent three young Jellicles to their deaths…

~^..^~

Rumpleteazer and Zelaphelia sat on the roof of a crashed Jalopy. The windshield had shattered, which allowed the two queens to sit on the edge and let their legs dangle off the end. The tiger tabby queen wasn't sure why Zela would do this, after her traumatizing past with the Hidden Paw, but then again, so did Jerrie and herself. She sighed as the sky turned to a dark indigo. Night hung over them while the heavy air pressure filled Teazer's lungs. They had decided to leave when it was completely dark.

The tiger-striped thief side-glanced at Zelaphelia; she looked completely normal in her facial expression, but her eyes told a different story. In her eyes, she looked hurt or troubled at least. "So, you really wanna go on this trip, Zel?" she asked quietly.

The golden-red female turned her head sharply and grinned, "Yeah. If the tribe's in trouble, I want to help. It shouldn't be that tough anyway."

"Oh, Oi know, iz just… well… maybe you shouldn't be goin'. Oi mean, if it's fo' more than just tha' purpose…"

Zela raised an eyebrow, "There's no other reason, Teazer. I want to help the tribe, that's all!" Teazer thought that her words seemed a little too defensive.

"Oilright, don' ge' in a fit!" The tiger tabby queen stood up, and helped Zelaphelia to her feet. She quickly decided not to push the subject, "It's well pas' sunset. Now, whear the heck is Jerrie?"

And before the two queens realized it, the devil appeared, "'Ey Teaze! Zela!" Jerrie shouted from behind, "You gals ready ta go?"

Zelaphelia nodded, "Yes, let's go."

As the three of them climbed under the loose fence, Mungojerrie began explaining the whole layout of his plan to Zela. Munkustrap had talked to him and Rumpleteazer with ideas in mind, and though Teazer knew they weren't looking for something specific, it appeared that the plan was fool proof, and the only obstacles now were the henchcats and Macavity….

~^..^~

Tugger felt vacantly like an ass. He still thought that Zela was wrong, and she had overreacted, but it was a hollow victory to get her to run off. Maybe she would realize that assuming he was doing something with Bomba was a little irrational, and then they'd make up. But then…maybe it wasn't all her fault. He had yelled at her, and questioned her reactions, and her lifestyle. That wasn't exactly charming. The Maine Coon tom sighed and quietly walked around the Junkyard. He peered through the dens just to see if he could find her, and maybe give her a look, or see if she was willing to talk, though it seemed doubtful. He quietly peeked in Munkustrap and Demeter's den. "Hello?" he called. Okay, so maybe he didn't just want to see her, he was actually considering apologizing, which was highly out of his character.

When he was about to give up, a voice spoke up, "Tugger?" but it was sadly his brother, rather than the queen he had interest in.

Munkustrap didn't look the least bit friendly, which made Tugger want to leave even more, except he had no idea where Zelaphelia was. "Hey Munkus." He greeted quietly, "Have you seen Zela?"

Munkustrap frowned and let his head fall, "Yes, I have." He quickly looked back up at the Maine Coon and looked almost remorseful, "She agreed to go on a mission with Jerrie and Teazer."

Tugger's eyes narrowed on his brother, "What? What mission?" His look quickly turned to worry, "Well… never mind. When will they be back?"

The silver tabby exhaled sharply and sulked deeper into his den in a shlumped position, "They should be back by tomorrow morning, if not sooner. They went down to the Warehouse, so-"

Tugger stepped closer, "The Warehouse? Why?"

Munkustrap stared at the leopard-spotted tom with a dark frown, "Zela's spying to find out what Macavity is hiding, and the thieves will do what they do best and steal whatever he's hiding that will help the tribe."

When hearing this, Tugger's eyes widened in disbelief, "What? Munk, that's nuts! All three of them were with Macavity. You really think it's safe exposing them to him again?"

Munkustrap wiped his face with his paw, "I know! But I thought since they were all there once they'd have the easiest job. And… Everlasting Cat, I don't even know what we're getting!" Munkus buried his face in his paws and growled, "I might as well have sent them to die…"

"So…" Tugger wasn't even sure what to say. He was in awe of everything his brother had said. He sighed, finally being able to come up with something to say, "We just have to wait for them, then?"

The Jellicle Protector nodded, and it became his only response. Tugger felt worried for Zela, and the burglar cats, and hoped they came back as soon as possible… Still, why was he so scared that they wouldn't? The Maine Coon groaned and sat next to his brother in a nervous fit…

~^..^~

Zelaphelia stared anxiously at the abandoned buildings that filled Macavity's property. A cold wind blew through shattered windows, and composed a cluster of dust circles that soon fell as the chill could not be felt in the gold-red queen's fur. The darkness created from dusk gave the Warehouse an illusionary ghostliness that made Zela's skin crawl. In every direction she looked, she saw a pair of delusive yellow eyes. She kept reminding herself that they weren't real, and forced her paws to move forward. Though she wouldn't admit it, she was frightened of what was ahead, and the plan that was so fragile and thin that it could easily snap, and fall into disaster. She felt like one misstep could risk all of their necks; however the tiger-striped cat burglars reassured her that things would go directly as planned. Why was she so doubtful then?

Mungojerrie lead the two queens through the shadows of abandoned buildings and dirt roads before they followed a chain-length fence that hid well in the shadows. The Warehouse was filled with just as much miscellany as the Junkyard, only it seemed to be neater on the outside. Crates were piled up on each other like towers, tall lead pipes were stacked into triangular prisms, and old cars were symmetrically aligned in two rows as if they were in a small parking lot. Unknowingly to Macavity, this all became easy cover to hide in. They got close to a large tower of crates that sat right next to the Warehouse. It was a strange structure that the hidden paw manufactured. The main entrance wasn't really a warehouse, but more like an official entryway that lead into a large open space that was easy to move around in. That followed in the first floor with several rooms that were used as either private quarters or henchcats training classes. Connected to that building was the largest of rooms that was the official abandoned warehouse that Macavity kept mostly empty for his use or more intense training. Zela remembered when he explained all of this to her; every detail of the Warehouse function. And the gold-red queen began wondering why she never used this information to the tribe's advantage… well, obviously now it would be. As they peered through a broken window, they saw into a small empty room that seemed to be used for storage, or a meeting den. Zela couldn't help but shutter, as if she could feel Macavity's presence nearby. Rumpleteazer put a supportive paw on her shoulder and squeezed it gently, "It's alroight…" she assured, "Don' worry nun."

Jerrie had quickly checked to be sure they weren't tracked by any of the henchcats on guard of the boundaries. Luckily, the tiger-striped tabbies knew the Warehouses better than anyone else. Mungojerrie grinned at the two queens, "Everythin's all clear. No one saw're us go in er out. Now, Teaze an' Oi'll go through a secret entry we kep' ta ourselves. Should still be open. An' Zela, you'll go up through tha trap door on tha roof and sneak aroun' tha raftahs. We'll work our way up ta Macavi'y's private room, an' tha's where you can mee' us."

Zela nodded to most of the plan, but then raised an eyebrow to the last part, "But what if he's in the room?"

"We wait fo' 'im ta go out." He replied confidently, "Tha 'idden paw don' sleep much, an' if 'e does, 'e ain't sleepin' fo' long. Most loikly, 'e won't be in there anyways."

"What are we looking for when we get in?" she asked

"A private stash 'e stores in 'is room. We'll foind what Munk needs, we'll ge' out befo' dawn."

Teazer clapped her paws together once and rubbed them eagerly, "All roight. Lezz go then." Jerrie grinned at his mate's enthusiasm, and quickly lead her away to one of their secret entrances. Zela slightly smiled, mostly because even in this situation, the twins knew how to keep the mood light. With a small sigh, the gold-red queen leaped up onto a staircase of crates that reached up to the rooftop. The tiles on the roof were loose and unstable, but could still hold a sturdy weight. She walked around daintily and watched to be sure she didn't misstep. As she searched around, the gold-red female finally reached the trap door Jerrie had mentioned. It was merely flat iron doors that lead into the ceiling of the Warehouse. Most likely, it would work well. Before trying to realize that she knew what she was doing, Zela pulled the small door open and slipped into the rafters…

~^..^~

A pair of black henchcats had crawled into Macavity's private quarters, practically begging for clemency due to a failed job of larceny. They were meant to find and steal a package of new weapons… just different kinds of blades which they could have used for new training, but that failed. All they could dig their puny little claws in were silverware knives and forks, "What the hell do you expect me to do with that?" he growled at the two of them.

The first henchcats began trying to come up with a pathetic excuse, which simply resulted in him getting slashed in the face. The other one was so frightened he merely edged himself near the door, looking like he was about to urinate. The Hidden Paw scowled at the incompetence of his workers, and felt overly capable of killing both of them for their slip-up. But something dark filled his senses, which made his irritable mood less contained and more engrossed in the goings-on in his Warehouse. He looked at the two cowering henchcats that were aching to leave, and looking like feeble wild animals on a spoor, desperately wanting to escape a human trap, "Get out!" he snarled. They didn't hesitate to leave his presence.

The ginger tom combed his black claws through his mane and stormed towards a porcelain vase that was sitting on a table. He swiped it off just to watch it smash on the floor. He enjoyed his flow of power and strength, but there were so little things to use it on. Killing and injuring henchcats began to lose its luster when the Hidden Paw found that he'd knocked about a quarter of his workers from employment, which would not look good if he didn't have more contacts to commit crimes for him. So he began trying to find better leisure by visiting the queens, reviewing the current plan he had for the Jellicle tribe, or simply sitting in his room to give wallow in his own dark thoughts. None of them filled the void of violence. Henchcats were far too fragile, and though the queens annoyed him, he promised them protection. Absolutely nothing and no one was strong enough to survive him anymore. He growled and stepped over the shattered vase to sit in his leather black chair.

Suddenly, a dainty beige foot stepped into his private quarter. Macavity scowled as Jezabella walked into his den, avoiding the shattered porcelain pieces and drops of spilled henchcats' blood, "Have a little spat, Macavity?" she asked smugly.

Jezabella was being annoying, as usual. But because the Tokinese queen was so useful for training new henchcat brats, he couldn't harm her severely. "What do you want Jezabella?" he asked, purposefully ignoring her question.

What Macavity hated most about her was that she never responded to his tempered moods anymore, even when his tone was genuinely threatening. He was about ready to kill her, but the sad thing was that she was useful. Damn. The Tokinese queen grinned and sauntered into the room, "Nothing in particular," she quipped, then she turned her head a little ways and mumbled something about getting a stick out his butt. He scowled, and if he wasn't so tired, he would have lashed out on her, or at least punished her back sass with a quick slash on the face or something of that nature.

His scowl deepened as he bellowed, "If you have nothing important to tell me then get out!"

Jezabella calmly frowned and shrugged, "If that's the way you want it. I just wanted to tell you that your trainees are going to need to be taken out on a training session soon. They need the experience."

The ginger tom rubbed his paw over his face and growled, "The henchcat trainees are idiots." He complained, "Why don't you teach them not to be so ignorant and I'll _think_ about evaluating them outside of the Warehouse?" Any idiot could have heard the sarcasm in his voice. He grinned.

Jeza rolled her eyes, "Sir, please. Your new thieves, torturers, and assassins need a test course, and doing it with their boss will make them more loyal towards you."

"Just get their mentors to take them out." He ordered dismissively.

But the Tokinese queen's face proved relentless, "But…I think that-"

"I never gave you this position so I could hear your opinion, Jezabella." He barked impatiently, "Now, I'll give you a compromise, because I'm an understanding tom. I'll take _one _thief out on a job, but you have to come with."

Jezabella gave this a thoughtful pause before nodding agreeably, "Alright then, it's a deal, until then, Sir." The Tokinese queen stood up and quickly sauntered out of his room. The hidden paw gave a sigh of relief, but he still felt a deep impulse in the back of his head that told him to walk around for a few moments, just to check on his Warehouse. Macavity decided to listen to himself, because his instinct had never been wrong before. The ginger tom quickly stood up to leave the room, but made sure to take a long time of doing so, just to be sure he wouldn't be running into Jezabella again. The Hidden Paw smirked to himself as he fled to sneak around in the storage rooms…

~^..^~

Jerrie grinned as the Napoleon of Crime left his den, which gave him and Teazer an advantage to get in. They came out of the loose floor boards that hadn't been noticed, partly because they were in an old coat closet. The tiger-striped tom crawled out and helped his mate out as they entered into Macavity's den. He grinned as the familiar scent of henchcat blood filled his room, "The ol' bastard 'asn't changed a bit." He joked. Rumpleteazer quickly shushed him and began looking around. Jerrie hated when Teazer took things too seriously, but he understood that this was a life threatening situation. He needed to focus. "'Ey, where's Zela?" he suddenly asked.

"She'll be 'ere in a secon'." She whispered, "Give 'er some toime. You know 'ow tricky it is ta get off the raftahs."

"Oi know, bu' she's so fast, she shoulda been 'ere by now!"

Suddenly, the door opened, and before the thieves could react, they saw Zelaphelia speedily walk in and shut the door. "Sorry." She said, "I was waiting for a clear hallway. I didn't know his henchcats were so busy."

"He keep 'em on their toes." Jerrie sniggered, "'specially if 'e's plottin' somethin' fo' the troibe."

Teazer grinned and nodded, "We'll then, lezz not keep 'em busy fer much longah! Lezz foind Mac's li'le secrets…"

Zelaphelia immediately began circling the room as Teazer rummaged through his desk, and Jerrie went through the furniture and shelves. "Wow," the tiger-striped queen said from behind her mate, "Why does 'e keep so much junk? All tha's in 'is desk is blueprints and old lettahs… waitta second…"

Jerrie looked back at her, "What is it, Teaze?"

"He's got blueprints o' the Junkyard!" she exclaimed. The tiger tabby tom jumped out of the black leather chair to see the papers she was looking at. He knew that the Hidden Paw was keeping quite a few tabs on the Junkyard. "It's loike 'e's obsessed!"

"Prolly is," she commented back, "but 'e circled a buncha the entryways, an' somm'a the main dens. Why'd 'e do that?"

Mungojerrie studied the white lines of the boundaries and the large red circles staining the paper. "Looks loike 'e's got somethin' big planned." He said while memorizing everything Macavity had marked.

"That's not all he's doing…" Zela said from behind two open, closet doors. The gold-red queen quickly lifted a large silver brief-case and dropped it on a large square table.

Jerrie raised an eyebrow, "What is that?"

Zela shook her head, "Not sure, but it was deep in that closet, and it's virtually dustless, which means he's taken it out not too long ago. Maybe something we're looking for?"

Rumpleteazer put all the papers back in the desk, except for the blueprint and some letters she found, "Well, there's only one way ta foind out."

The gold-red queen nodded as the three of them gathered around the table. She slowly opened the case and looked at it. They all gave a confused reaction when they studied several vials of still black liquid that were corked and partnered with small syringes. There was one large vial of clear liquid that was put to the side. Zelaphelia stared at it, "What the…"

"Maybe somethin' we should show ta Jelly an' Misto?" Teazer asked quietly.

Zela cleared her throat, "It couldn't hurt."

Jerrie smiled and reached for a vial, but the gold-red queen next to him suddenly gripped the side of her head and bent down. Both of the tiger-striped thieves paused and looked back down at her, "Zela…?" Teazer knelt down beside her, "What's is it? What's wrong?"

"M-M-aca-vity…he-he…c-coming b-back…"

Both of the burglars couldn't make out the message she was sending through her vision, and quickly tried to shake her. "Zela!" Jerrie shouted, "Snap out of it!"

Suddenly, the gold-red queen jerked herself up and stared between them, "Macavity's coming back, you guys. We've got less than a minute!"

She suddenly stood up and reached for the briefcase, shut it, and ran for the closet. The tiger-striped thieves headed back into the closet and shut the doors while Zela jumped up on the wall and clawed her way up into the rafters. The Hidden Paw's footsteps didn't take too long to enter into the room. Jerrie could hear him growl. He felt paralyzed, and didn't want to move around, afraid that Macavity would sense their presence. Teazer took his paw as they edged closer to the open floor boards. They were hoping that Zela would be able to get out before she was noticed. The tiger-striped queen was gripping the papers in her other paw as they both walked into the hole. But Mungojerrie's foot accidentally clawed the edge of the board and it shifted and made a scraping noise.

Both thieves paused. Jerrie could see an image of Macavity through the slots of the closet door. His ears were perked and his nose was wrinkled, "Hmm…" he mumbled and paced to the closet door. Mungojerrie was quickly thinking up a plan; he was going to push Teazer into the passageway with the information, and take whatever inferno the Hidden Paw had planned for him, but as Macavity's image grew to door, the ginger tom paused.

Teazer was slowly heading in the hole, and Jerrie was following her, but he was watching Macavity as he slowly turned around to gaze at his room. As Jerrie carefully put the floorboards back in their place, he heard the Hidden Paw's sly words echo past the walls, "Well, hello there, Zelaphelia…."

Before Mungojerrie could react, his mate was already dragging him through the dark passage way, and he was left to wonder what Zela had done…

~^..^~


	14. Leverage

_Teazer was slowly heading in the hole, and Jerrie was following her, but he was watching Macavity as he slowly turned around to gaze at his room. As Jerrie carefully put the floorboards back in their place, he heard the Hidden Paw's sly words echo past the walls, "Well, hello there, Zelaphelia…."_

_Before Mungojerrie could react, his mate was already dragging him through the dark passage way, and he was left to wonder what Zela had done…_

~^..^~

Zela watched from her undercast view up in the rafters, staying as silent as a rock as Macavity looked around his den. The dark, twisted feeling in her stomach returned, seeing her father again. He looked as wicked as ever, though a little more worn down than usual. _Killing kittens must really drain you of your energy… _she though bitterly towards him. She'd thought this when the ginger tom was near the closet doors; quite suddenly, his ears perked up as he swiftly turned around and looked right at her with a tooth-bared smirked. The gold-red queen mentally smacked her forehead, remembering that she had forgotten that mystics could be telepathic with each other. She cursed herself because she had exposed her presence in the Warehouse. The Hidden Paw merely stepped forward and watched her intently, "Well, hello there, Zelaphelia." He said in an amused tone.

Zela, realizing her loss of concealment, leaped down from the ceiling rafters, and stayed a good distance away from the ginger tom. She knew Jerrie and Teazer were gone by now, so at least being accidentally discovered was not in vain. "Rot in hell, Macavity…" she growled at him. The gold-red queen felt the hate and discomfort of being near him radiate from her. And she could tell how his smirk began to rise on his face that he knew her emotions at that moment.

The ginger tom chuckled and took a step forward, "Now Zela, is that any way to speak to your father?" he asked with an insidious grin.

Zela glared at him and took a step towards the door. She could tell that he saw this, but she needed to go and catch up with Mungo and Teazer. Macavity didn't seem to look like he was going to let her go, considering he already got in her way of the door. The gold-red queen growled furiously, "You aren't my father anymore." She reminded coldly.

He gave a distasteful sigh, "Ah yes, how could I forget the way you disowned me at the Junkyard?" The ginger tom slightly scowled at the floor but then turned back up to her with a grin, "Does it satisfy you, daughter? That you keep defending and obeying cats that are weaker and more spineless than you?"

Zela growled at him angrily, "They aren't weak!" she retorted.

"Ah, but they are spineless, aren't they?" The Hidden Paw laughed mockingly, "In fact, why do they send you, of all cats, to come and spy on me, eh? They're too afraid to come after me themselves, that's why. So they send the only one they know who could last fighting me."

As he smirked menacingly, the gold queen was trying to think of something to say, but she didn't really have a good argument. She wasn't exactly prepared for debating her tribe's ethics. To replace a quip, she glared, "And I'll do the same thing I did last time if you don't stay out of my way!"

For obvious reasons, the Napoleon of Crime wasn't affected by her threats. He only took a step closer, which made her antsy. "You don't realize what happened that night, do you?" he asked with a conniving chuckle.

Zela paused, and quietly shook her head, "No. I don't…" She lengthened the silence, simply to take a moment to think of a comeback, and also for dramatic effect, "But that doesn't mean I won't do it again! And I'll tear you to ribbons this time!"

Macavity threw his head back and laughed sinisterly, "I'm actually quite amused by your threats, daughter. It reminds me of… well, me at your age." He gave a thoughtful pause, "Maybe you're more like me than I thought…"

Zela winced and tried to block out what he had said. "NO!" she screeched. She wasn't like him; she would never be like him, ever. The gold-red queen made an immediate dash for the door, but Macavity's claws had already caught her and were digging into her flesh as he spun her around and twisted her wrist behind her back, forcing her to fall on her knees. He was faster from when she last remembered. The gold-red queen screamed in pain. "Let go of me!" she shouted, struggling to get out of his grip. The ginger tom didn't take long to restrain her.

"It's obvious you still haven't learned how to respect your father." He whispered into her ear. She side-glanced at him, seeing the evil smirk on his face. "But we'll change that."

Zela couldn't move, she was stuck on her knees, and no amount of struggling would loosen his hold on her, not even a little. He'd finally caught her in his grasps after all this time, but the ginger tom grunted somewhat angrily and pushed her down further, "I'm disappointed in you, Zela. You once could have taken my head off without so much as a struggle, and I have you caught without even trying!... You've grown as weak as the rest of the Jellicles. Why is that? Have you gained a fear of me now?" he chortled to himself.

The gold-red queen didn't actually have an answer for him, because she was trying to figure a way out of his grasp. "What do you think this is going to accomplish?" she asked him, trying to stall in any way she could. "Just because you're holding a Jellicle queen hostage, you think that's a plan? I can escape easily and there's nothing keeping me here. You might as well just let me go."

The Napoleon of Crime didn't speak for a moment, and Zela was hoping that maybe he was thinking about the statement. Unfortunately, all it did was make him twist her wrist harder. She seethed and winced as he knelt down to her ear, "You think I'm going to let you go that easily?" he asked in a rough whisper, "I went through _hell _trying to track you down, and get you running back to your little family at the Junkyard. Oh yes, I had every step you took followed, and sent my best agents after you, because I knew you wouldn't be able to hide forever. The real question is why would I go through all that trouble?" The ginger tom quickly twisted her around and slammed her body to the ground, pinning her paws to the floorboards, "I did it, because I'm going to watch you fall from the pedestal the Jellicles put on. But don't worry; I won't keep you on the ground for too long, just long enough where you realize the real potential that you have with your father. And I _am_ your father, whether you like it or not."

The gold-red queen glared at the Hidden Paw, seriously thinking about spitting in his face. She hated him. The bane of her existence was staring at her, practically implying her forced apprenticeship to him. Zela was about to protest, and tell him how she would never work for him, or train with him ever again. But before she even uttered a word, there were three slams on the door. "Sir!" a squally voice called, sounding like there was some sort of struggle going on, "We got somethin' for ya!"

Macavity gained a small grin on his face as he lifted the gold-red queen by her pelt like a kit. She tried clawing at him and kicking her back legs to be free of him, but he suddenly sent a current of electricity through her body, which tormented her nerves enough where she went limp. The ginger tom chuckled; "You can come in." he called.

Zela felt weak from the spikes of electric energy running through her, "Well, now at least we know what will keep you from struggling." He told her. Zela glared up at him as two large henchcats opened the door. They were holding Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer, pushing them in with their paws tied behind their backs and their shoulders being held so they couldn't scamper away. Zela winced, unable to believe her sacrifice had been for naught…

~^..^~

Macavity chuckled as he held his daughter up by one arm. Actually, the ginger tom thought half the fact that Zela had come to the warehouse was because luck was on his side, which happened rarely on anything that had to do with the tribe. Macavity grinned at the two tiger tabby cats. "Well, welcome back to the Warehouse. How are my best former thieves doing?"

Mungojerrie was gazing at Zela, but as soon as he heard the ginger tom's voice, he narrowed his eyes and spat at Macavity's feet. "Go to hell, you piece a sh-" The henchcat behind the tiger-striped tom hit him in the back of his head, which made Jerrie go blank for a moment.

Rumpleteazer gasped and stared at her mate, "Jers!" The ginger tom's smile slightly faded when the tiger tabby tom blinked and regained his regular facial expression.

Macavity gave an amused facial expression, but Zela was twitching slightly. He knew that anyone who suffered from his shocks would probably be shaking on the ground with painful shocks still buzzing their brains, but because the gold-red queen carried his genes and magic, it only seemed to affect her less than the regular henchcat. The ginger tom grinned at his daughter and held her light body higher so he could talk closer to her face, "Do you see this, Zelaphelia?" he asked her mockingly, "It's a thing called_ leverage_."

Zelaphelia gave her father a glare, but then let her head fall in defeat, because she knew she was being cornered, thanks to two idiot Jellicles who thought they wouldn't be caught. One of the henchcats looked up at the ginger tom, "The queen had these, Sir." He lifted his other paw that didn't hold Rumpleteazer's shoulder, and revealed a rolled up dark blue paper and three white envelopes. The ginger tom grinned as the henchcat tossed the rubber band bounded papers. He caught them with one paw and chuckled, "Good. It would be a shame to misplace these. Who knows whose paws they'd fall into?" He smirked and set them on the table next to him.

The Hidden Paw looked between his three captives, and couldn't help but feel mirthful that something had gone right that day. He chuckled, and then quickly remembered that he had to do something with them. Macavity knew what he wanted to do with Zela. She was obviously untrustworthy, but she was staying here, so he'd have to put her in a place where she couldn't manipulate anyone. The cells underground would work. As for the two tiger-striped burglars, he had to keep them locked away, and nowhere near Zela. They were his ascendancy over her. The only way she wouldn't try to leave was because she knew that her friends could be damaged by every move she made. The ginger tom couldn't help but snicker, enjoying how ironic the three former Warehouse cats' cohered mission had worked out in his favor.

Macavity looked at the henchcat holding Rumpleteazer and grunted, "You." The other henchcat grabbed the queen's shoulder and let his partner face the Napoleon of Crime. He tossed Zela on the ground and squeezed her shoulder tightly before the henchcat lifted his daughter to her feet. "Take this one down to the cells," he commanded, "and-" he turned to the table next to him, and quickly scribbled a note on a scratch piece of paper with a quill and ink. He lifted the paper from the tabletop and gave it to the henchcat, "Give this to the tom on guard. He'll know what it means."

Macavity quickly stepped forward and whispered into Zela's ear, "I'd behave if I were you. One miscode of conduct with any of my workers, and I'll make sure you regret it. Especially when I have those two." He pointed to the thieves with his eyes. Macavity grinned and patted her cheek lightly, "And I'll fill you in on details later, my dear." The ginger tom tossed her to the ground once and the henchcat quickly got her back to her feet and began pushing her away. "Be careful with that piece of baggage." Macavity told his employee, "I need her kept in perfect condition."

As the henchcat nodded and led the gold-red queen away from the Hidden Paw's private room. Macavity couldn't help but grin to himself, thinking about all the plans he had for his daughter, which the tribe would play a large part in later on. He quickly lost his mood when he saw the two thieves, then his smile only grew wider on his face, "And I have a special place for you two…" he grinned sadistically as he quickly took Rumpleteazer and told the henchcat to follow him with Mungojerrie tight in his grasp. It was going to be a fun week…

~^..^~

Teazer was shivering under the paw of Macavity. Memories were flooding back of nights cowering in fear of him. She remembered that Jerrie always told her to hide behind the bed posts in their room at night. He was always paranoid that the Napoleon of Crime would come back and chide them both in his sick way. Any time they were caught during a thieving job, or failed it, he would punish them. Even now, the ginger tom scared her, especially because he was right behind her. Jerrie was so close, but he wouldn't be able to help her, because he was as incapacitated as she was. The tiger-striped queen heard Macavity chuckle to himself. Perhaps he could sense her fear. But the fact that they were back in the clutches of the Hidden Paw didn't worry her as much as the thought of Zela being back in them as well. She was probably more in danger than they were, but knowing the malicious ways of Macavity, any wrong move from the gold-red queen would cost them their lives. Teazer wondered if it was worth it if Zela could escape.

Suddenly, Macavity came up on a large bolted door. He kicked it open and clutched Rumpleteazer's scruff of neck fur. She yowled, but the ginger tom paid no mind as he threw her into the dark room. Teazer landed on her face, due to the fact that her paws were still tied behind her back. She felt her skin scrape against the concrete surface, feeling her cheek, arms, and stomach pulsing. She moaned in pain. It wasn't too long until a cursing Mungojerrie landed next to her. She opened her eyes to him, and he had merely flipped over on his back and jumped up to his feet. The tiger-tabby tom was still throwing out curse words at their former boss, but the ginger tom simply walked in the room and slightly smirked. He raised his paw and threw a forceful ball of energy at Jerrie, which tossed him hard on the back wall, which silenced him.

Macavity cackled cruelly, "How fun it will be, having you all back. It's a shame it has to be this way between us three though. But no worries, I just need two of you for a short time; before you know it; there'll be elbow room for one of you." The ginger tom smirked, and took the door handle as he left; slamming it behind him. They heard it being locked as they sat in darkness. Teazer felt her eyes brimming with tears as she scooted near her mate.

"Jerrie?" she called blankly, feel the sobs beginning to choke her throat.

She heard her mate sigh as he nuzzled close to her. The queen flipped on her back so she could feel his chest. "Hey now, Teaze, don't cry." He soothed quietly.

"Oi'm sorry…" she whispered, "I just don' know what else ta do…"

Jerrie sighed again, "Well, we ain't gonna show no weakness in fronta Mac, that's fo' sure."

"But whatta 'bout Zela?" she asked quietly, still trying to hold back her tears.

He shrugged, "I dunno… All we can do is 'ope she knows what ta do… Oi sure as 'ell don't."

She blinked up at his dark face, "An' the troibe?"

He shrugged again, "I dunno." He mumbled, "Teaze… there's no way outta here, Oi don't think…If I can remember everythin' about the Ware'ouse. Oi think we're stuck fo' now."

Rumpleteazer suddenly didn't have a reply to give him. Nothing he said was really comforting and all she could do was cry on his shoulder and pray the tribe would realize what happened, and be able to find them and help elude Macavity. That was the hope now. Until then, the tiger-tabby queen was remembering what the Hidden Paw had said about needing only one of them in a short time. She didn't want Jerrie hurt, or herself. The only question left in her mind was what was going to happen to them…

~^..^~

It was a boring night for Marcetheus, as usual. He was still a little hung up on his boss killing young Jellicle kittens, but he was trying to get over it. After all, the Jellicles forced him out of their tribe. They were wreaking havoc on the city. They deserved to suffer, even their youngest of kits. The tortoiseshell tom sighed, still trying to gain a positive opinion on Macavity's operations, and wondered when he would be a part of them. He wanted a way to prove himself to his boss.

Marceth was quickly nodding off while he sat under torchlight of the cells. The fire was just enough to light the dark catacomb. It wasn't until after Marceth was stationed in the cells for so long that he noticed they were very well sculpted in shape and would hold up the whole foundation of the Warehouse well. The tortoiseshell tom grinned to himself as he stared into the dimly lit cell that sat directly across from him. The light slightly shined off the dull, black, steel bars. He couldn't help but notice the cobwebs filling the bottom in between spaces. Grimacing, Marceth was silently praying to Heavyside that he would be given some excitement, or at least something to do in Macavity's prisons. He shook his head as he did that, slightly closing his eyes.

But abruptly, he was brought out of his practically sleeping stance when a disheveled knocking on the cell doors vibrated onto the bottom of his seat. Marceth stood up quickly and rushed to the small sliding window on the top of the wooden door. He raised an eyebrow when he saw the dark red eyes of a senior torturer. "What is it?" he asked, faking gruffness in his voice.

"Delivering a prisoner." He answered blandly, "The boss said to give ya this." he slipped a small piece of paper through the window. It softly floated to the floor, and Marceth quietly picked up, not bothering to read it yet. This must have been the prisoner that Macavity was talking about; the important one that he wanted him to watch. The dark tortoiseshell couldn't help but grin as he unlatched the door and swiftly opened it.

The old but still fairly large henchcat strode in, aggressively grasping the shoulders of a young female. Marceth blinked at her, slightly stiff where he stood. He was confused. Macavity had said this was a very important prisoner, and the tortoiseshell tom thought that meant that he would be large and dangerous. This was a little queen who looked harmless. Marcetheus shook his head as he glanced down at the note in his hand. The older henchcat was busy opening the cell next to them and pushing the queen inside. While he did this, the tortoiseshell skimmed through the note:

_-Guards tom, this queen is more treacherous than she looks. Don't talk to her, listen to anything she says, or acknowledge her. Be sure to guard her carefully and not fall for her tricks. Good luck –M_

Marceth read over the short note and began wondering if his boss was taking him seriously. Had he even remembered his only guarding tom's name? Marceth looked behind the bars at the queen who was just standing there, and looking around with her back turned to the two toms. She didn't look like much at all. Why did Macavity make such a big deal about her in the note? The henchcat turned around, "He says this queen's a special piece a baggage and needs 'er in perfect condition."

Marceth looked up to him and nodded once, "Alright. I'll take care of it." He said, not really paying attention. He was still trying to make sense of this in his head.

"Alright. Good. Ifya need anythin', the guards are just upstairs." The henchcat quickly left the cells, closing the doors behind him. Marceth morbidly locked it behind him and sat back in his seat, secretly scowling to himself.

Macavity wasn't taking him seriously. Maybe the ginger tom just wanted to keep him busy with a pointless job. This queen didn't even look capable of evading the cells. What was so important about her? Marceth frowned as he observed the gold-red queen locked behind the bars. She looked almost as confused and sulky as he was. She was mostly black on her body, with bright red striped scraped around her body. He could make out that she had a white chest, and her face and head fur was gold. She had some red flicks over her head, and was white on all four paws. Admittedly, she wasn't bad looking, excluding the dirt on her fur and scar spots on her arms and legs where hair hadn't grown on yet. He was wondering about her and what Macavity wanted with her.

Suddenly, the gold-red queen flashed a glare at him. He noticed the hostility in her violet eyes. There were some thin gold lines swirling around in her irises, which made him a little more surprised. Marcetheus was thinking about returning her glare, simply to look intimidating, but all he could muster was to frown and look away. Marceth bit his lip as he sat back down. He crumpled up the note given to him by the Hidden Paw. He liked his boss less after idolizing him for years, now the only thing he had was a seemingly harmless queen to watch. Marceth watched her quietly as she curled up in the corner of her cell with her forehead pressed against her knees…

~^..^~

A dark night was filling the Junkyard, and not even the florescent lights shining down could even help Demeter calm her nerves. Her mind was filled with questions. She wondered when or if Zelaphelia and the thieving duo would be coming back; or if they would find what Munk needed. Actually, she was very angry at Munkustrap, and was wondering what was passing between his thick skull. The gold queen growled quietly as she paced around Bombalurina's den nervously. Her sister was the only one who could really make her feel better at the moment.

"Out of every tom I've ever met, I thought he was the one who had brains!" Demeter was fuming and raving about her frustration to Bomba, trying to understand her own anger directed towards her mate.

The scarlet queen sighed from inside a dryer. She was flipping through a human magazine, and barely looked like she was barely listening, "I'm sure he's the only one with brains around here. He just didn't use them in this situation."

"And he's putting my daughter's life on the line!" she growled back agreeably, "Someday, he has to realize that Zela's _my _daughter, not his. He can't put her welfare in his paws!"

Bomba looked up from the magazine that she probably couldn't even read anyway. She was only looking at the ads and pictures, "You know, Deme," she said quietly, "Didn't you always want Munkustrap to be her father anyway? I mean, he's her step-father and everything, but why don't you treat him more like the father to her?"

Demeter took a moment to think about the question, "Because… we all know that's not the truth… No matter how much I don't want it to be true, Zela is half-Macavity. Even if Munk treats Zela like one of our daughters, he will never truly be her dad."

"Well…" Bomba murmured as she flipped the pages and propped her feet up on the ledge of the dryer, "I'm sure Zela views_ him_ as a father more than she does her _real father."_

Demeter closed her eyes tightly and exhaled a deep breath, "I know. But he's doing a horrible job of being a father to any of his kits. Do you think he's getting too deeply in his job?" The gold queen looked back at her sister with a curious eyebrow raised.

Bomba shrugged, "Do_ you_ think he is?"

She paused a moment to think about it, "No…" she mumbled, "At least I don't want to think he is…" The gold queen glared once at the ground before sitting next to the dryer machine. "But I can't even look at him until my daughter gets back…"

Bombalurina nodded, "Okay then Deme… but maybe later you can get off your silly high horse and work these things out with Munkustrap instead of complaining them to me?"

Demeter cleared her throat and shook her head, "I know… later… at least in the morning… when Zela gets back…"

Bomba sighed, "Alright then…" she said boringly.

Demeter shook her head again, slightly leaning against the dryer as she wondered how her daughter was. She was trying to think positively, and think that her daughter was going to be just fine. But she couldn't be sure anymore. This was Macavity… Something was going to happen, whether Zela returned safely or not…

~^..^~


	15. Reluctant Submissions

_Marceth bit his lip as he sat back down. He crumpled up the note given to him by the Hidden Paw. He liked his boss less after idolizing him for years, now the only thing he had was a seemingly harmless queen to watch. Marceth watched her quietly as she curled up in the corner of her cell with her forehead pressed against her knees…_

~^..^~

Zela sat in the darkest corner of an empty cell that was now apparently hers. Her mind was simply focused on a few obscene thoughts of her father. She still was in a terrible shock on what he did to her; how he trapped her and somehow got to Teazer and Mungo also. She thought that they had it all so well planned. They had a perfect scheme to get in the Warehouse, avoid Macavity and the henchcats, and get back to the Junkyard before the night ended. Where did it go wrong though? The golden-red queen blinked around the cell and frowned, feeling overwhelmingly hopeless. She felt her eyes welling up, and tears coming down on her face. She couldn't help herself because now she, Teazer, and Jerrie were the prisoners of the hidden paw.

Zela was trying to keep her morale up somehow; she couldn't stay sad and weepy when the tribe was there, and sooner or later, they'd realize that none of their emissaries weren't back after dawn, they'd come to the Warehouse. But what if Macavity already had surprised attacks waiting for them? What if he planned to capture or kill any other Jellicle that came near hear? Suddenly, the gold-red female stopped herself. She couldn't think that way. If she did, hoping for rescue was pointless. Munkustrap wouldn't leave them there to rot, he'd find a way to get in and salvage them from the Hidden Paw. She was absolutely positive he'd help them.

With a sigh, she curled up in her corner. Zela knew that the whole space was hers, and she could have destroyed it if, but if that henchcat reported it to Macavity, Rumple and Jerrie were as good as gone. The gold-red queen looked around her cell quietly. A dim glow from the torch light came over the cement wall that separated the cell next to hers. It was a grey area. The floors were made from stone and mortar. In the left corner, there was a little wooden footstool that would commonly be used for human children. There was a cot lined up on the cement wall. The mattress looked thin and uncomfortable as it sat flatly on a metal spring frame. It looked worse than sleeping on the floor, so she ignored it. The gold-red queen thought seriously about making the 'bed' a little more expendable and getting some other use out of it, but she'd have to think about what that would be. Zela sighed quietly as pale moonlight glowed over bars that made a shadow from the small window above her. It would be too small to try and slip out of, and even if she did, she had no idea where Jerrie and Teazer were.

Suddenly, a thought hit Zela. She could just find them with a vision. She grinned, knowing that this would make a rescue a thousand times easier. She could contact Misto and he could save them! Yes! But she didn't want to make it too obvious. And the first matter was to make sure that Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer weren't harmed. The gold-red queen closed her eyes up at the window. She dug deep into the recesses of her mysticism and thought about Jerrie and Teazer…. After a pause… her mind went blank. **All she saw was darkness. Her whole vision was blurred and twisted in an image that looked as bleak as night. Zela could see nothing in the vision, and was almost immediately sucked back into her conscious brain.**

Zela blinked, and abruptly stood up. She hadn't expected anything like that to happen. Her whole vision made no sense. Why didn't she see anything? Zela blinked a few times thoughtfully, deciding to try again. When she focused in on Jerrie and Teazer, she got the same result. Her vision was blank. In a panic, the gold-red female thought to send a distress call to Mistoffelees. He would be awake if she called him. She knew he would. Zela waited a few moments, continually telling him where she was and that she and the tiger-tabby mates were in danger and captured by the Hidden Paw. She anticipated an answer from the tuxedo tom, but after a few minutes of shouting his name telepathically, the gold-red queen gave up. Why didn't he answer back?

Zelaphelia combed her claws through her head fur, feeling frustrated, confused, and afraid. Everything made her feel like there were eyes all around, watching her like she was insane. Suddenly, the gold-red female remembered that there was a henchcat right outside the bars. A Feeling of dreadful suspicion came over her as Zela's head twisted to the opening of her cell. The henchcat had been staring at her for Everlasting Cat knew how long. She gave him a cold scowl as her tail ruffled aggressively. The tom's sharp gold eyes grew wide with some surprise. He took a moment to react to her facial expression before quietly returning the glare. A pathetic glare; it looked like it was the first glare he had ever attempted. Zela rolled her eyes and glanced away, from him, just to see if he'd look away from her. His glare had moved down to the floor. Zela sighed silently, and studied the looked the tom up and down. He was a tortoiseshell. His body was a course ebony with golden and burnt-brown patches ridging in some places and auburn flecks faintly covering most of his body. The most distinct feature was a gold round-cornered diamond patched on his left ear and barely edged his cheekbone. He had a dark outline of black rounding his eye as it was being covered by the golden-brown patch.

Suddenly, the henchcat's eyes flashed back to her, and his glare intensified. Zela's loose frown quickly tightened into a dark scowl as she looked back out the small opening fashioned as a window. He was obviously a stupid guard that Macavity assigned to her. He didn't look happy at all, which didn't surprise her. He was working for the Napoleon of Crime, after all. The gold-red queen curled up into the corner, now feeling like she was losing all of her hope in being found. However, she still was positive that the tribe would realize they were gone by morning and come looking.…

~^..^~

Macavity sat in his den, gently edging one of his vials. The black liquid swished in out of a wave, and the cold felt good under his paws. The concoction had been a long term of experimenting; and exploring every poisonous herb, liquid, and basic substance to get the correct concentration. It had been something he had been masterly planning for the Jellicles, and it made him smile, knowing that it wouldn't be long until that weakling Jellicle tom's toxic blood would spread. It made him smile maliciously. As he carefully placed the vial back into its case, a knock on his door had been produced abruptly. The ginger tom grimaced, "Come in." he called flatly as he stood up and put the case back inside the closet.

The door creaked open as a black figure entered into his den, "Good Morning, Sir." The voice of Macavity's irksome assistant greeted, though it was less than cheerful.

The ginger tom rolled his eyes as he leaned up and shut his closet from behind him, "It's barely past four, Barnabas, it's not that much of a morning." His voice was empty and cold to the henchcat.

The scarred tom slightly grinned out of the corner of the Hidden Paw's eye, "I know it, _Sir. _But perhaps that's not such a bad thing. I just heard about your recent success with the capturing of a few Jellicles; including Zelaphelia."

Macavity rolled his eyes again, "Does news honestly travel that fast around here?" he asked, dropping into his black chair.

"The rumors spread rather quickly, around here, don't they?" The black tom asked casually, as if this was polite conversation with a friend.

To be sure that the henchcat knew his place, the ginger tom growled and hunched over in his chair. He put on a dark look as his claws drummed, "Sadly." He commented, "But I'm surprised, Barnabas, that it was _I _who had to catch her and those two traitors and not any of your defenses. Why is that?" he frowned with a look of pure mockery and bitterness.

Barnabas raised an eyebrow and blinked at his less-than-pleased boss. "Sir, pardon me for speaking out of line, but our defenses had nothing to do with-"

"The sentries at the borders should have caught them!" Macavity growled angrily. He tried to at least appear calm, but making his anger and frustration perfectly visible for the black tom.

Barnabas had a look of shock, like he had no idea what to say next. "The sentries are... very capable, Sir, but that can't be everywhere at once."

"Well then," the ginger tom stood up and glared disappointedly at his assistant, "As head of our defenses, I expect you to have all of my workers surpassing their capabilities! That better be fixed before morning, or so help me, you'll be the one spending time at the borders! Do I make myself clear?"

Barnabas cleared his throat and looked down at the floor with a glare, "Yes, _Sir."_

The ginger tom blinked, slightly grinning to himself that the black tom was so submissive. "Good. Now, you'll tell the tom down in the cells to bring my daughter here. Be sure she's not bound. Once you've done this, be sure to fix your pathetic arrangement of defenses!"

The black tom quietly nodded, still looking at the floor with a dark frown, "Yes, _Sir."_ He grumbled. The henchcat quietly left the den, leaving Macavity in a particularly good mood. He loved seeing any tom degraded and in some sort of pain. Though he preferred it being physical, emotionally crippling a henchcat was just as good…

~^..^~

Etcetera sat with Plato quietly. Jelly had been working late with Misto, and had just taken a blood sample from the bi-colored tom's arm to test with the blood from the kittens'. Misto wanted to study it, just to see if they were matched and how different they were. The young light tabby queen was beginning to clean his wounds with a bloody cloth. _Don't worry Plato… _she whispered to him mentally, _Zela and Jerrie and Teazer will come back with something to make you better … _Etcy threw the cloth on the ground lazily, and couldn't help but smile at the sleeping tom. She stood up, and went to the medical cabinet to get some gauze. She'd use it to rewrap Plato's wounds. Suddenly, Jellyorum strutted out of the next room of her den, carrying several textbooks in her paws, "Oh, Etcy… you wouldn't believe what we found!" she exclaimed, putting her medical books back on their shelves.

Etcetera smiled as she grabbed rubbing alcohol and gauze, "What is it Mum? Something good?"

Jellyorum turned around with a wide grin, "Oh, trust me, whatever it is that Misto's finding, it's taking a step forward to stop this bloody virus." She chuckled, and then glanced over at the sleeping patient, "How is he, dear?"

"His fever's been coming and going every day, and he's talking… I've tried to see if he can walk, but…" She sighed quietly, clutching herself. A sudden chill came over her.

Jellyorum hugged her daughter quietly, "Don't worry, Etcy. This will all be dealt with soon enough. We'll make sure he gets his rest and is taken care of. Heavyside willing, he'll pull through."

Feeling quite comfortable, the light tabby queen hugged her mother back, and sighed contently, "I know…" Giving the Medical queen a squeeze, Etcy let go and moved away. Jellyorum gave an impressionable smile before swiftly turning back into the room that she and Misto currently inhabited for their research.

Etcetera quietly smiled at nothing, suddenly feeling grungy as she rubbed her paws together. The light tabby queen turned around and sat next to Plato, unwinding the old gauze used to cover his stitched wounds. He was looking better from before, but then again, this was one of his good days. The bi-color tom still felt extremely cold throughout his limbs, and burning like fire on his forehead. His eyes were groggy and glazed over, as if he was slowly losing himself in the insanity's rage. Etcy sighed quietly as she wrapped the new gauze around his arm, legs, and torso, which took some doing, considering how heavy he actually was.

She tossed the old gauze tape where she had left the cloth, and suddenly felt quite tired. She thought about going to nap on the TSE 1 car's hood, or inside a red convertible's cushions. The light tabby yawned, stepping away from Plato, and making her way to the other side of the den. Her head felt light, and she figured she should take some sleeping medication from her mother's cabinet so she got more rest. Etcetera quietly turned around, and was about to go to the medical supplies, but only made it about a quarter of the way.

A sharp pain reached the side of her head, and then a solid aching settled itself so deeply that it would have made her faint over. Etcy gripped the side of her head, practically collapsing to her knees. Her blood was rushing through her veins, and throbbing pulse on her neck pounded against her nerves. Etcetera curled up, slightly murmuring; "aaah… Mum…" As the pain took a turn for the worst, the light tabby couldn't help but cringe, feeling her limbs twitching. It didn't take long until a dark presence filled her mind, and a loud screeching voice could be heard echoing through the Junkyard…

~^..^~

It didn't take long later that evening until a henchcat knocked on the bolted wooden door. Zela could still feel the moonlight glowing over the cells as the Guardstom unlocked the door Macavity's prison. Out of boredom, the golden-red female looked up to see who was entering, and then her heart stopped. She recognized the black tom with faint scar resting on his left cheekbone. It was the only disgusting, vile henchcat that she would have personally wanted to kill. Zelaphelia scowled, resting her head calmly on her arms.

"Good Evening, Barnabas." The guarding henchcat greeted casually as the door swiftly shut, "What brings you to the cells?"

The scarred tom swiftly pointed to Zela inside her prison, "The boss wants to speak to his guest." He answered gruffly, with a small hint of sarcasm by the end of his sentence, "He wants you to leave her unbound, and taken up here quietly." Barnabas looked swiftly down at the gold-red female, "And that means you have to keep your pretty little mouth shut, Missy."

The Guardstom cleared his throat uncomfortably, "Thank you, Barnabas, I'll get her there."

Barnabas nodded quietly as he opened the door of the underground prison, but not before looking back at Zela once more, "Oh and it's good to see you've come home, Zelaphelia."

Zelaphelia growled, and felt like throwing something at the cell, but she restrained herself. She hated that tom almost as much as she hated her father. Barnabas had ruined her life after him and a few henchcats attacked her and left her in an alley, as if she was dead. But then, she would have never been rescued by Old Deuteronomy and brought to the tribe of Jellicles. The gold-red queen sighed quietly as she stood up. She heard the Guardstom fiddle with a ring of keys. It didn't take long until the tumblers were activated and the cell door slid open.

Zela turned around, staring at her feet as she walked forward. She felt his paw touch her shoulder gently, but to her, it felt like ice. She nudged her shoulder out of his grasp, and looked up at him sharply. The Guardstom seemed nervous somehow, which amused the gold-red queen slightly. Still, she wasn't so prone to the idiocy of henchcats when she was in a hostage situation. Zela quietly walked out of the cell, with the tom close behind her. She swiftly turned, feeling quite annoyed, "Can you not breathe down my neck?" she asked rhetorically. Zela was sleep deprived, and was very cranky because of it.

The Guardstom didn't answer her, but did give her a cold glare, as if threatening her. The gold-red queen decided not to fight him, as it was, whatever the tom said to Macavity could easily put Jerrie and Teazer into even more danger. Zela sighed, walking up the dark steps that led up into the Warehouse's first level…

~^..^~

Macavity waited patiently, sitting on his black chair for his daughter to arrive. He couldn't help but grin when he pictured her dejected, spiritless face. Oh, how he had plans for her! For now, he wanted to explain to her how this was going to work. If she was going to follow his rules, which she would if she didn't want to see Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer tortured to death, he would have to invent some out of the top of his head. But the ginger tom felt that the little details could be dealt with soon enough. For now, he had his daughter, and that's what the important thing was. Suddenly, the there was a light knocking on the door, and a voice was muffled behind it; "Sir, the-…um… prisoner is here?" the confused tone of the henchcat made Macavity assume it was the guardtom he assigned to the cells.

He rolled his eyes. The Hidden Paw felt a little annoyed on how this tom acted. "Come in!" he called impatiently.

A tentative creak from his door made his ears perked as the henchcat he had yet to remember the name of entered. A dark tortoiseshell tom stopped a few feet from the door, and Zela followed him. She was looking straight into his eyes with a dark shadow over hers. A look of white hate flashed across her face. All the ginger tom could do was grin at her smugly. He looked over at the henchcat and blinked, "Leave us." He ordered flatly.

The dark tom nodded quietly and exited the room. Zelaphelia hadn't moved from her place on the floor. The fact that she seemed nervous now that she was finally in his grasped almost tickled the ginger tom, but only slightly. "Well, I hope you've enjoyed the first few hours of your stay here." He said in a sarcastically polite tone.

The gold-red queen didn't answer her question, "Where are Jerrie and Teazer?" she asked flatly.

Macavity frowned, "Nowhere that you're concerned with. And don't think I'll tell you anytime soon." Zela glared at him, which in turn, only made him chuckle. "You don't seem happy to see me." He said, still being very sarcastic again.

Her glare intensified, "Why am I here?" she asked. Macavity thought it was an extremely stupid question.

"You know why you're here, Zela." He said seriously as he jumped down from his chair to meet her. "I need you for my scheme, of course. And I feel I'm being quite generous for not torturing those two idiot thieves for everything they found out. I would, but I'm afraid that they being in that kind of condition would be…" he smirked, "impractical for the use I have of them."

She raised an eyebrow quietly at him, "What is that use, then?" she asked suspiciously.

The smirk rose higher on his face, "Keeping you here, of course." He chuckled as he circled the golden-red female slowly, "Honestly, my offspring is not so naïve as to think I wouldn't find a way to have her stay?"

Zela blinked at the floor, "So you'll kill them if I attempt an escape?" she asked quietly.

When this question came up, Macavity cackled, "Oh how I longed for you to ask that question, darling Zelaphelia. Of course I would kill them." He leaned next to her ear, "Would you like to know how?"

Zela winced and quickly turned away from him. Macavity chuckled to himself, "Well, perhaps I'll save that conversation piece when your training begins…" he mused.

She looked back at him out of the corner of her eye, "Training?"

"Yes…" he answered, "It's obvious from your lack of abilities that you've lost the prior knowledge that I taught you before, and need to be reminded. You'll be like trainees, with me as a mentor of course, but I'm sure you'll be caught up in no time. Who knows? Maybe soon, you'll accept your proper place with me, and actually begin _enjoying _it."

He saw her shoulders tense in disgust. She swiftly turned around with a repulsed scowl; "Never!" She quickly unsheathed her claws and jumped at him. Macavity had already seen this coming though. As soon as he was close to his face, he caught both of her small wrists and dug is claws into them.

"You're slower now too." He growled quietly. The ginger tom was not happy at all that he would have to reteach her everything, but still, she had the energy, and she would be willing if she didn't want to see her friends die. "But that doesn't matter." He said smoothly, pushing her back. "You're technique is still good," he stared down at her, "Not perfect, but good. I can change that, Zela. I can give you more power than the Jellicles ever could."

The gold-red queen's violet eyes narrowed on him, "They've given more than you ever will, Macavity." She spat from the ground. He had to admit, for one so small and soft-hearted, Zela had spite, and that alone could spark the hate he needed to make her powerful.

The ginger tom quickly stepped forward. He bent down and clutched her wrist, "I can feel everything that's happening in your body right now. Your heart rate is accelerating; the adrenaline is pumping through your veins; the energy pulsing through and around you... You may not want to admit it, Zela, but at some level, you love the fighting. You like throwing your claws out at anyone who opposes you, and you hate to lose. Face it, daughter, you and I think a lot alike."

She glared up at him as she sat under his tall shadow. "We are nothing alike." She retorted, "All you care about is destruction, your influence of London, and all the power you have to gain over the tribe. You don't know what love or friendship is, or anything that make a life fulfilling. You're a cold-hearted, self-absorbed, megalomaniac whose only talents are manipulation and mysticism. You're as hollow and dark as the devil himself, and you'll never be any better. We are nothing alike, because unlike you, I do know what love is."

Macavity quickly returned her glare. He never stood for when someone talked to him like that, not even his spawn. The ginger tom bent down quickly and made her stand by picking up her head fur. He gripped both her shoulders, squeezing them as electricity generated through him, and began pulsing through her. The gold-red queen seethed and sunk down to her knees. She was weaker. Strangely enough, her tongue was even sharper than before. "The first thing you need to learn when you're here," he began, tossing her back to the floor, "Is to learn how to respect your superiors. And you never speak to an elder, especially your mentor in that way. I'm taking it easy on you because you didn't fully understand everything, but now you're starting all the way back to the beginning. For now, you will not have my trust, and I will be monitoring you like a prisoner and a mentee" The Hidden Paw sighed at her, and tried to smirk at her, "While you're here, you'll be staying in the cells for quite some time. You will respect all of my henchcats and not harm them in anyway. You will not use your powers unless I will it. Oh, and you also won't be pursuing to find either of your friends in the Warehouse. Now, is that all perfectly clear to you?"

Zelaphelia was, of course, glaring at him intently, and still looking more miserable than ever. Macavity smirked at her even more widely, "You have no choice in this." He reminded her, with a cheeriness in his tone. "If you break any of my rules, Jerrie and Teazer will be at a very high risk, I promise you."

The gold-red female's eyes narrowed on him, "I understand…" she said cynically under her breath. But she quickly loosened her glare on him, "But this deal can't go on forever."

The Hidden Paw grinned in amusement, "It can, and it will." He told her assuredly. Zela scowled at the floor, looking as if she was in denial of what truly was going on. Macavity chuckled, padding her shoulder lightly, "It may seem like it's bad now, dear, but trust me. You'll grow used to your routine, and then you'll begin to like it, and though you may not admit it now, you're going to want more and more of that taste of power. I promise you, Zelaphelia, you're going to go the distance by my side…"

She growled and nudged his paw off her shoulder, "You're delusional… and despicable."

He grinned, "Soon, you'll see things my way, and you'll think differently." Macavity chuckled as he whistled at the door. The Guardstom, which he finally remembered was named Marcetheus, came gingerly into the room. He was still very jittery, which annoyed the Hidden Paw more than he could say. Why was it most of his henchcat were so spineless?

"Zela," he turned back to the gold-red female. She was still staring at her paws, having a face that wondered what she just agreed to. "This is going to be your personal guard. He'll be watching you in the cells from now on, and anywhere else I allow you to venture in the Warehouse. Isn't that right?"

He turned over to the henchcat with an expectant eyebrow raise. Marcetheus blinked and bit his lip quietly, "Uh… yes sir." He said, too hesitantly for Macavity's liking.

The ginger tom's eyes narrowed on him, "I assume that the last of the dead Siamese have been dragged out and disposed of?"

The dark tom nodded.

Macavity sighed churlishly, "Good. Now take her back down." The ginger tom turned back to the black leather chair just waiting for him to sit on. He caught the henchcat pushing open the door, but Zela had quickly turned back at him with a scowl.

"When the Junkyard realizes that we're not coming back, they'll come after us." She told him. Marcetheus seemed very nervous about this statement. The ginger tom could only grin at the both of them.

"We'll find out, daughter…"

With that, the two cats left the Hidden Paw's quarters. He was glad that he could finally rest, because for some reason, he felt a bit winded, but at the same time, Macavity was bubbling in enthusiasm. His daughter was finally in his grasp, and this time, he wasn't going to make any mistakes…

~^..^~


	16. Mind Games Come Into Play

_"When the Junkyard realizes that we're not coming back, they'll come after us." She told him…The ginger tom could only grin…_

_"We'll find out, daughter…"_

_With that, the two cats left the Hidden Paw's quarters. He was glad that he could finally rest, because for some reason, he felt a bit winded, but at the same time, Macavity was bubbling in enthusiasm. His daughter was finally in his grasp, and this time, he wasn't going to make any mistakes…_

~^..^~

Sunrise dawned over the Junkyard, and obviously, Munkustrap was nervous. There was no sign of Zela or the tiger tabby mates anywhere. He paced impatiently around his den. Tugger was twiddling his thumbs on top of the old pipe, looking just as anxious as he was. He couldn't even look at his brother. He was too focused on trying to stay positive. _That _was becoming an issue in itself since daylight was creeping out so quickly, "Dammit, where are they…?" he muttered, mostly to himself.

However, it seemed to be loud enough to reach Tugger's earshot. "You need to quit panicking." He advised, but still sounding nervous himself.

"Zela said the job wouldn't take longer than sunrise. It's well-past that time…"

Tugger bit his lip, "You think that… maybe something went wrong, Munk?"

The silver tabby suddenly paused as he thought about the question. What was his answer to that? He had no clue whether their group had been caught or not by the Hidden Paw. "I don't know… Let's hope not…"

The Maine Coon grimaced and stared at the floor. Munkustrap continued his fantod pace as they waited. Time was running short and passing so quickly that the silver tabby's patience and calmness was hanging by a thread. "You know, I'm sure we're overreacting." Tugger commented.

The silver tabby shrugged, "_You_ might be, but I think I'm a little entitled to this stress…"

His brother slightly grinned at him. "You're not that much of a workaholic, Munk."

"It's not about that, Tugger..." he looked up at the leopard-spotted tom and sighed, "Did you hear about what happened to Etcy earlier this morning? Jelly said she's been taken over by the same thing that's diseasing Plato. I never saw our medical cat so broken up…"

Tugger paused a moment, "Yeah… I went to check up on the kit and Jelly was working harder than ever. I think Misto was watching Etcy… Plato doesn't look better."

"I know…" Munk closed his eyes, "But now it's somehow contagious… Not good… at all…" He grimaced at the ground, feeling a tad overwhelmed.

"Munk, you need to quit being so negative." The Maine Coon replied. "Look, Jelly's a skilled medic and Misto's the best conjurer here. They'll find a way to treat both of them before something worse happens."

Munkustrap grimaced, "You think that something worse will happen?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

Tugger rolled his eyes, "Heavyside, Munk! Relax a little while!"

The silver tabby blinked and slightly grinned, "I know… It's just… I'm stressed with Macavity, and taking care of the tribe…I just can't keep up…"

Suddenly, Munkustrap sensed someone come into his den. By the perking of Tugger's ears, he had too. Munk quickly twisted his head around to see who was at the den entrance. It was his mate wearing a sulky face. The silver tabby stepped forward, "Deme?"

The gold queen gazed at him with a dull look in her green eyes. She looked just as anxious and worried as he was. Of course, he couldn't compare his concern for Zela as much as Demeter could. She was her daughter, after all. All he could show was the love for his step-flesh and blood. Demeter blinked at him, forming a small grimace. She was obviously still miffed at him. "Munk… it's about a half-hour after sunrise… Where is my daughter?"

Munkustrap groaned, brushing his head-fur with his claws. "I don't know." He said in frustration and impatience. "Deme, we've been waiting for her here all night, and-"

"I've been waiting at the entrance of the Junkyard _all night, _Munk!" The gold queen growled at him agitatedly, looking like she had more fire power directed at her mate than ever before. "You assured me that nothing was going to happen to my kit, and you lied! She means the world to me and you just let her run off to the Warehouse to run your little errand! If she's harmed at all, Munkustrap, _you're _taking the blame!"

Munkustrap took a step forward and wavered his paws to ward off her concern. "Deme, you're overreacting. She's probably on her way right now!" He looked away from his mate. Tugger was sitting awkwardly in the corner, looking like he was waiting for the conversation to be done with. The silver tabby turned again to his mate. "But, if it makes you feel any better, we can go talk to Quaxo, okay?"

The gold queen blinked once, still slightly glaring at him. Wordlessly, she turned around and headed towards Jellyorum's den, where the conjuring tuxedo tom was assisting Jellyorum in finding a treatment for the mysterious disease. Munkustrap sighed quietly. Tugger quickly stood up and met his brother by his side, "You know, she's just worried about her daughter, Straps." Munkustrap turned to his brother, and gave him a sad smile.

"Yeah..." he whispered, "I know… Come on; let's go see what Quaxo says..."

~^..^~

Quaxo grimaced when he looked into an enlarged magnifying glass. He was quickly comparing the sample of Vitalee and his blood. They had the same blood type, which could have been obvious with them both being mystics, but when he compared Plato's blood type, it was a darker color of red. Mystic blood was just a shade brighter than a normal cats' blood, but then taking some of Jellyorum's, who was a completely healthy cat, all three samples were different. _Ug… this would be so much easier if Zela was here… _He thought quietly. Zela and the twins were the only mystics in the Junkyard not injected with Macavity's little poison. He hadn't been able to catch up with the Tantomile or Coricopat yet, and now, Zelaphelia was off somewhere for Munkustrap. The tuxedo tom grimaced, not really sure what to make of this.

Suddenly, he heard something stir from behind or at least somewhere in Jellyorum's den. Quaxo quickly stood up and left the private room of the den. Jelly decided to have Plato and Etcetera separated, simply to see if they being together would make an even worse effect. Jelly was sleeping on one of the beds. He figured the old tabby queen needed her rest. She'd been working all night to take care of her daughter. The fact that Etcy caught the virus was even more frightening, but the tuxedo tom was surprisingly not sick yet, which he had yet to understand.

Quaxo blinked when Munkustrap, Demeter, and Tugger entered in the den. Deme had a grimace on her face. Munk and Tugger looked completely blank in expression. The tuxedo tom gingerly took a step forward. "Hey, guys… what's going on?"

Demeter blinked at him. She was giving him a serious look that could have chilled him if he wasn't so focused on the subject of why they were there. "Zela's missing." The gold queen blurted.

Munkustrap came up behind her, shaking his head, "She's not _missing_." He corrected, giving his mate a disapproving look. "We just want to make sure she's okay. We're worried why she and the Teazer and Mungo aren't back yet."

Giving all the cats in the room a good, long stare, Quaxo cleared his throat. "Well… I could contact her for you? See if she's on her way." He was already preparing himself mentally to communicate with Zela.

Demeter instantly nodded and Munk had followed. Tugger was just staring at the tuxedo tom hopefully. He sighed, "Okay…" he murmured. The conjurer cleared his throat and sent out a simple message to Zela: _Zela, your parents are concerned about where you are, so…just for clarification, where are you?_

Quaxo blinked at Demeter and Munkustrap while he waited for a receiving mental message. After a tremendously long pause, nothing came. "What…" he whispered quietly to himself. Why didn't she answer back? The tuxedo tom tried again with his message, but after nothing came, he continued calling her name through telepathy. The line was completely dead. He looked between the faces that were staring at him, unsure of what to say. "I… she… she's not answering…"

This generally caused an uproar from the three of them. Demeter had been the loudest:"What are you talking about? How can she not answer? Why wouldn't she answer you back?" The gold queen's eyes were filled with panic and concern, which was why Quaxo wasn't very afraid of her lashing out on him.

Munkustrap seethed and put a firm paw on his mate's shoulder. "Deme… calm down."

She simply shrugged him off and waited for an answer from the conjurer. Quaxo cleared his throat again, trying to think of a way to break the hardest of news in the gentlest of ways. "Well… there are only two reasons why she wouldn't have answered me… One… she would be in a deadly state of unconsciousness… or two… well… she's… uh… not alive."

Demeter stepped back, practically bumping into her mate. Munkustrap had a bit of a shocked expression that matched hers. Tugger was just as awestruck. "You're kidding." The Maine Coon murmured.

Quaxo shrugged, hating to see them look this way. It wasn't until his pause on trying to figure out what else to say to them that he realized what he had said himself. Could Zela really be dead? "Well… the whole mental communication was… completely negative. I… I don't know what to say…"

Demeter almost fell backwards, looking like had nothing really to say either. Munkustrap kept two supporting paws on her shoulders and stared at the tuxedo tom, "Are you sure? Is there any way of knowing if she's... … gone?"

He swallowed hard, staring at the silver tabby. "I… have no way of telling… but if you want me to be perfectly honest… I..." He stared over at Demeter, wishing that he didn't have to believe the words coming out of his mouth, "I'm sorry Deme… I… I don't want to think that she's dead. I'll try contacting her again every few hours… but that's all I can do for her."

Quaxo witnessed the golden female's green eyes well up in despair. "It can't be true…" she whispered. "Would something have happened to her, Quax?"

The tuxedo tom cleared his throat. "If she didn't answer me… I think so."

With an awkward pause, Demeter stared at him, slowly forming a scowl. She twisted around at Munkustrap. Quaxo quickly took a step back, not liking the looks of where this was going. "This is all your fault!" she growled at the Jellicle Leader, "If you hadn't asked her to go on this stupid job, she might still be here and not missing!"

Munkustrap was speechless for a moment, but then he suddenly returned his mate's glare. "Look, it's not my fault that something went wrong-"

"I told you that if anything happened to her, it was on you! You willingly put her in danger, and Jerrie and Teazer as well! You never even considered on how I felt about this. You-…" she growled again, "You disgust me." She sneered at him, and quickly walked past the entry of the Medical den. The silver tabby tom looked like he was going to follow her, but she twisted around again, "Do _not _follow me, Munkustrap!"

Quaxo quietly watched Demeter leave as the three toms were left in the infirmary. No one ever saw the gold queen explode often. This just chilled them all, seeing her like that. Munk had a look of anger on his face, but there was also a shimmer of guilt in his eyes. The tuxedo tom sighed quietly, not sure what to say anything else to them. He swiftly turned around and headed back towards the room he was occupying, though he knew he'd left Tugger and Munkustrap in a dazed confusion…

~^..^~

Zelaphelia had been waking up and falling asleep all night. And she could have cried when she saw the day was beginning to be brighter and brighter every time she woke up. But something was bothering her; she was having the strange dreams about the cells she was in. Sometimes it was focused on the henchcat guard, or it was a rat wandering around in the cells next to her, or it was just behind her own bars. When she woke up, she would know what was going on the cells. It didn't make sense to her. Why could she pick out visions in the cells, but nowhere else? This probably would have been a good question to ask the Hidden Paw, then again, he probably wouldn't have told her anyway.

The gold queen looked up from her sleeping state. The tiniest bit of sunlight was peeking through the window made from ground. She wanted more than anything to escape. But what good would it do? Macavity would just kill Mungo and Teazer, and she'd be going back to the Junkyard with nothing. She couldn't let Munk down like that, and partially because she didn't want to face Tugger. It was basically why she even took the job, just to get away from him and his arrogance. How dare he be with Bomba and mock her for being just a little suspicious from it? Any sensible queen would! The gold queen silently fumed, but sighed, remembering that this would be over with by the time Munkustrap realized that they weren't back yet. He'd find anyone he could to rescue them. As she looked up from the stone floor, Zela gazed at the henchcat resting in his seat.

He seemed so distant. Quiet even. The henchcats around the Warehouse jeered her; snickered at her as if to rub in her face that she had been caught after a year of running. But this tom was her guard. Not one word had been conversed between them. Well, excluding when she told him to stop breathing down her neck. The tortoiseshell tom wasn't especially talkative, which annoyed the gold-red queen a little, but she figured the second she tried to escape, he would immediately tell her father. Zela quickly blinked, wondering what would happen if she just tried to mess with him. She grinned, standing up near the bars, deciding she was being patient with rescuers, and would have enough time to do something as innocent as provoking a henchcat. She slightly grinned, "You never guarded a mystic before, have you?" she asked him curiously. She held herself up with the support of the bars.

The henchcat's golden eyes glanced up and down at her and the ground several times before they finally rested on her face. He looked surprised by her question. His only reply was a silent shake of his head. The tortoiseshell tom was trying to look stern in his eyes, keeping his prisoner in her place. Zela blinked amusingly, her expression not changing. "How impregnable is my cell from the inside?" she asked bluntly.

He flinched a bit from the question as his stern grimace turned into a fierce glare. His chair had only been standing by two legs, due to the fact he'd been leaning back on the wall. The black tortoiseshell let it tip back to all fours. He was looking more prepared than she thought. Zela grinned, backing off from the ball. "Just curious." She said to him, "…So you probably have a lot of faith in metal bars?"

He gave a quiet nod, staring at her with a suspicious eyebrow raise.

She chuckled mischievously. "Would you like to put your money where your gesture is?"

He blinked once, slightly looking past the walls. There was a glint of confidence stirring in his eyes as he grinned, "You think you can escape the cells?" he said, his tone sounding eminent and cocky. Actually, he had a young voice. It ranged perfectly somewhere between high and low.

Zelaphelia cleared her throat as she hid a smirk. She was quite enjoying the first words the henchcat guard ever said to her. "Well… probably." There was a hoax smile of innocence curled on the corner of her mouth.

The henchcat coolly leaned back in his seat, looking very relaxed. His chair went back to two legs as he did this. "Prove it then." He said. The tortoiseshell tom wasn't even minding her. Either henchcats belittled her so much that they didn't even pay attention, or this henchcat was smug enough where he didn't even have faith that she could escape with no hassle.

The gold-red queen casually walked up to the lock over the bars. She stuck her arm out in the open, and bent her elbow so her claw could get into the keyhole. She heard the tortoiseshell tom chortle when he noticed this. How little expectance henchcats had in prisoners. Zela quickly closed her eyes and hid her mind behind a vision that actually went into the keyhole of her prison:** half-turn right, quarter turn back, press down and turn 90° over. **Zela heard the tumblers activate as the bar door casually slid open. Zela smirked as she held the bars, feeling the exhilaration of an escape furrowing the red stripes wrapped around her body. She grinned at the henchcat, waiting for him to look up. When he did, his eyes became huge on his face as he tried to sit up quickly. This caused his chair to fall back, thus making him tumble to the ground.

Zela snorted in amusement as the tortoiseshell quickly stood up, shaking in some franticness. "How d-did you d-do that?" he stuttered in some sort of sharp tone that he mustered.

The golden-red female sighed quietly as she shut the door, thus locking her again in the prison of iron, cement, and stone. "Skill." She said simply, which wasn't a lie, just not fully the truth. "Unfortunately for you, I have some… escape artist blood in me, shall we say?" she grinned, finding herself extremely clever at the moment.

The henchcat blinked a couple times as he stood in front of her. "Well… then… just… don't do it again!" He glared, trying to look threatening.

Zela scoffed, sitting down in her corner. "No problem, Henchcat…" she muttered. She thought she'd feel better, but she was reminded that she wasn't free at all, though she could escape the stupid henchcat if she wanted to, and she did. But Macavity was more cunning than she had reckoned him to be. He took the opportunity of her running into town and made her look like a fool. And that was exactly how she felt about herself. She was the fool… Zela sunk back into her against the wall in a deranged feeling of hopelessness.

Suddenly, the henchcat spoke up: "Marceth."

The gold-red female looked up, "What?"

"It's Marcetheus." He stated flatly, "Not Henchcat. I'm not a henchcat, I'm a guard. Get it right."

Zela glared at him on the spot and just rolled her eyes, "You work for Macavity and are holding me against my will in the Warehouse. You're just a henchcat to me."

The tortoiseshell sighed, "Whatever, Jellicle…"

Zela looked up with a raised eyebrow, "If you were going for namesake, than you should know that mine isn't Jellicle. It's Zelaphelia."

"What does it matter?" he asked,. "You're a Jellicle to me. Why should the treatment you give me be anymore different from what I give you?"

The gold-red queen blinked, grinning slightly. "You know, you're not very eloquent when you're talking to me."

"Well, you're not very nice when you're talking to _me_." He retorted, avoiding her gaze.

Zelaphelia breathed silently as she laid her chin over her arms. This was a more clever tom than she had figured, even if his confidence had made him lose their little bet. Perhaps the fact that Macavity was helping in their training caused them to be less moronic than the tribe thought. When she was about to say something back to him, a slamming knock echoed through the cells. Zela froze in her spot.

"Marcetheus!" a dark voice screeched from behind the door, "The boss wants to see the queen in the cells!"

She quickly unfroze. It had been a God-awful night that she hadn't been prepared for, and the beginning of the day didn't really start off too well either. She was hoping Munkustrap would be here by now, and she had predicted this in front of Macavity. No doubt he wanted to see her so he could gloat…

~^..^~

Macavity had called Jezabella into his den as he waited for his henchcat guard to bring Zelaphelia back. The Tokinese queen couldn't have been happy, knowing that her rival was back as a prisoner. A simple utterance of disrespect would not provoke Macavity even once when she mentioned a list of complaints about his daughter. Jeza hated Zelaphelia in every sense of the word, but the actual thought of her being submissive and weak gave the beige female a tickled feeling. Unfortunately, Macavity had other reasons to demand of her that had to do with Zela. This made her less amused by the situation.

"Let me get this straight, you want me to _train _her?" Jeza's eyes were wide as she sat on the couch corresponding with Macavity's black leather chair. The Napoleon of crime chuckled at her.

"Yes, but not in all ways, Jezabella. She will be _my_ prodigy, so you won't have to worry about the fighting or mysticism. However, there are certain… angles that I wish for you to teach."

The Tokinese queen's eyebrow rose, "Angles? Care to explain?"

"My daughter coming here was no accident, Jezabella." He said calmly, "I'm using her stay here to my full advantage. But last I spoke to her; she had full confidence that her captivity here would not last the night. She was wrong, of course. It's almost midday and there hasn't been a trace of any Jellicle. I have my own tactics to thank for that. But she's like a wild horse now, Jeza. She needs to be broken into this lifestyle. Just as all the queens of my Warehouse were. You're job is to make sure that she learns the basics of my hideout. She will, of course, start at the lowest level of training. Once she's up to speed, I'll give her a supervised mission. But that is awhile from now. I'm allowing you to use any methods you wish on her. I want to see that her spirit and rebellious disobedience die right in front of me, and you're the queen that's going to do ensure that it happens."

The Tokinese queen blinked twice, nodding slowly at the statements that mentioned her involvement in Macavity's plan for his daughter. "But what if the Jellicles should come and help her escape? She'll know everything about our-… your territory and the tribe will take us down!"

The hidden paw chuckled quietly as he stood up. "Trust me, that won't happen. By the time the day is done. They'll know that their little infiltration mission was a failure, and be under the impression that their members are no longer with them." He smirked maliciously.

Before Jezabella could ask another question, there was a soft knocking behind the door. Macavity didn't hesitate to answer, "Let her in!" he shouted. Jeza's ears went flat. Loud noises were often very distasteful for her.

She decided not to face the gold-red queen yet, and kept quite low on the sofa. Macavity swiftly walked to the other side of his den as light footsteps entered into his den. "So glad you could make it." She heard him say with a smug tone.

A young female voice with a dark complexion spoke quietly, "What do you want…?"

He tsked, shutting the door from behind Zelaphelia. "Still no respect for your superior?"

"You're not my superior! When will you get that through your thick skull!"

Jeza almost gasped, unable to believe that anyone would talk to the Napoleon of Crime that way, even his own daughter. Macavity grumbled, not sounding exuberant in the least . There was a quiet zapping noise, and the young female gave out a sudden cry as a thump reverberated off the floorboard of the ginger tom's room. "I'm going to be your superior for some time, as it seems, Zela. So tell me, you said that your precious little gang of Jellicles would be here to rescue you, why is that not the case?"

There was a long pause between them. Jeza almost leaned over the arm to hear any trace of an answer. Finally, Zela spoke. "They'll come." She stated weakly, getting up from the ground.

Jeza could picture her boss smirking at that statement. "I doubt that, my dear. What I said was true, your tribe is too spineless to actually go against me, even if they were smart enough to come to the Warehouse in large numbers! We're all powerful on our own battlefields, Zela. You'll notice that mine is not tainted with the war cry of any Jellicle."

The gold-red queen's breaths couldn't even be heard. "They will come." She repeated firmly.

Macavity sighed quietly, "Yes, well, until that time-"

"Why won't my powers work?" Zela asked bluntly. Jeza shook her head mentally. This queen had some nerve!

Surprisingly, the only thing that came out of Macavity was a chortle, "I'm afraid that would be my doing. You see, Zela. I took the liberty of… blocking my property from Jellicles' mental games. I closed off any telepathic traces that were directed towards me, simply for the protection of my henchcats' knowledge, and my own. If I let just anyone in there, how else could I take over the city?"

Jeza could picture Zelaphelia narrowing her eyes at her father. "Then why can I see images of the cells, but nowhere else?"

He sighed again. "Unfortunately, some places are beyond my telepathic reach, but of course, I can still protect all my property from any mental disturbances."

"And that's why I couldn't communicate with anyone… Why can't I see Mungo and Teazer?" she muttered realizing her blunder.

Macavity cackled, "Because I contained their minds and locations so easily that not even a skilled, clairvoyant Mystic, such as you, could find them. Quite clever, if I do say so myself." He chuckled quietly. Jeza wanted more than anything than to see the gold-red female's reaction.

Surprisingly, she stayed quiet. The Hidden Paw continued, "But obviously, you're already breaking my rules. There is no magic from you, and I can easily trace a line into your mysticism to track your overpowered energy. Trust me, daughter, there will be consequences if I find that it happens again."

The gold-red queen was a grave. Not one sound passed her lips, as if she were pondering Macavity's statement. The ginger tom chuckled lightly. "And if I haven't told you before, I will be mentoring you, but since I can't monitor you around the clock, I decided to introduce a… lifestyle instructor. I'll leave you two to get acquainted." The ginger tom swiftly opened the door.

Zela sounded curious now, "Wait!" But Macavity had already left the room. Jezabella thought this was a good time to expose herself. She stood up and hopped over the couch.

Zelaphelia, who was looking much older from when the Tokinese female saw her, zipped around at the thud of the floor. She glared at seeing her old enemy. "Oh…You've got to be joking…" she muttered.

Jezabella grinned connivingly as she took a step forward, "It's so good to see you again, Zela!" she said in a mock cheery tone. "Macavity has appointed me as your 'instructor.'" The Tokinese queen smirked at her, "Welcome to Hell…"

~^..^~


	17. Subsequent Mendacity

**A/N: I know that my most recent of updates weren't as fast as I predicted they would be. I've been busy with theatre half the summer, and with school coming up, I'm a little uncertain about how fast my next updates will be. But I'll make them as soon as possible! Also, quick announcement, I posted links to the cat-form pictures of a few of my OCs from this series, including Zelaphelia. Please feel free to check them out!**

_Jezabella grinned connivingly as she took a step forward, "It's so good to see you again, Zela!" she said in a mock cheery tone. "Macavity has appointed me as your 'instructor.'" The Tokinese queen smirked at her, "Welcome to Hell…"_

**~^..^~**

Victoria was waiting in Jellylorum's den with Electra right beside her. Quaxo was sitting in the corner; his nose was stuck in a medical textbook. There were small blood samples sitting on shelves that were attached to a bulletin board. Beside them were also some notes the tuxedo tom had tacked on the board as well. They were quick mentions and logs of his discoveries so far with the blood samples, but Victoria knew that her mate was still missing something. Electra smiled at her sister as Quaxo yawned.

"Need a rest, Quax?" the white queen asked calmly.

The tuxedo tom sharply turned towards the sisters. Victoria jumped back a bit. Her mate looked so different from when he began this research. His eyes were sagged and tired, his reflexes had dulled, and he was a bit shakier than he usually was. One could mistake the conjurer for a drunk. He was deprived of sleep, and acted strangely out of his character. Quaxo sighed as he stared down at the floor, dropping the pen on a plank that was fashioned as a desk, "I'm almost done, Vic. I'm close… just give me a minute."

Victoria sighed, standing up, "You've been at it for hours, dear. Maybe you should sleep a little, or… you know, eat?"

"Or bathe…" Electra added, smirking humorously.

The white queen rolled her eyes at her sister, "Please, Quax? You've been working since this morning. You've exhausted yourself mentally and physically. I'm worried that you're getting sucked into this too deeply…"

The tuxedo tom scratched his head and then shook it, sighing, "What else can I do, Vic? Munk's mission failed, I can't get into contact with your sister, and now two cats are infected with this infernal disease! Four, if you count me and that kit, Vitalee, though neither of us have had no side-effects or anything!" he grunted, looking down at the ground, "Something's not right, and no matter how much I've gone through these notes, the chemical effects are still severe in both Plato and Etcetera's body…"

Victoria nodded quietly. Etcy, one of her closest friends, had gotten infected and no one really knew how. Jellylorum insisted it was because they were in such close contact, which was why she told her new attendants, Jennyanydots and Asparagus, to help in the den. Both were very close to the medical queen, and paid full attention to her. Victoria wanted to help, but Quaxo forbade it, still convinced that whatever contagious disease was wandering through the Junkyard was _not _going to harm his pregnant mate. Before Victoria could say anything, Munkustrap walked into the den. He had a slight frown on his face when he saw the two. Victoria knew he still wasn't happy that no one had told her father about the pregnancy, but he also had other matters to attend to. Zela was one of them. Quaxo had been trying to come in contact with her all day, praying that she was still alive and would answer. There was still nothing, and the tuxedo tom was leaning towards the worst. Munkustrap, however, wouldn't accept it, if it wasn't for the fact that Demeter was very angry at him for everything that had happened. Victoria sighed as her father walked in slowly, "Quax, anything?" he asked quietly.

The magician gave him a look of vexation. "Nothing, Munk… I'm starting to assume the worse… She wouldn't be quiet for so long. No sign of Jerrie or Teazer either."

"There has to be something!" the silver tabby exclaimed, pacing around the den, "This isn't good… This isn't good."

Electra stood up, "Couldn't we just, you know, send a rescue party after them or something, daddy?"

He sighed quietly, "No Ellie, I don't think we could…" The silver tabby paced around the den quietly, "If I did, Macavity would just retaliate it. He'll expect us to do something like that, and I doubt the elders would want me to send anyone else to the Warehouse anyhow…"

Quaxo blinked, "So, what should we do?" he asked, leaning back in his seat.

The silver tabby paused and turned to all three of them, "I… I'm not sure… We'll have to wait it out, I guess."  
Victoria immediately stood up, "But Dad, what about Zela and Teaze and Jerrie? What if Macavity's… you know, keeping them captive, or torturing them or something?"

"I know, I know…" he wavered his paws dismissively, "I… I just don't know how we can get to them. No mystic in the tribe can get into the Warehouse mentally, and Quax, you said that Zela's telepathic connection is completely negative… I don't want to tell your mother this, Vic… Electra, but I'm fearing the worst right now too…"

Victoria stared at her father, a waking nightmare beginning to be compromised. Something dark was lifting through the Junkyard. Whether it was from the pits of Hell or simply reigning like a overpowering storm, something wasn't right, and continued to bring terror over them. It wasn't good, she knew that much…

~^..^~

Macavity grinned quietly to himself, about to put the next part of his plan into action. He had left Jezabella to be a tour guide for Zela, only because it killed two birds with one stone. He wouldn't have to show her around himself, and she could get started on training. The ginger tom smirked to himself, watching his daughter in the shadows. She was following Jezabella's pointing claws, as if there were a few things new to see since she was last in the Warehouse hideout. The gold-red queen still had a dark look formed over her eyes and mouth. She gave glares to most henchcats, which the Hidden Paw was silently tolerating, but she was cooperating well.

He smirked as he disappeared down a foyer and away from his daughter. He knew she would follow his orders. Though he was simply using Zelaphelia as a tool in his grand architecture of a master plan, she still played a key role. But the stages were still early, and the first step was complete. Second step was to convince the tribe of the gold-red mystic's turning from them. That was where the Mungojerrie or Rumpleteazer would come in. He sauntered past the lights hanging from the ceiling, coming to a bolted door that he had unlocked with simple telekinesis that he'd practice for quiet tasks. He wasn't going to use his strongest powers for anything large. Yet.

Macavity swiftly walked into a dark room where two tiger tabby Jellicles were nestled. He saw the queen's eyes opening warily while the light pouring from the door washed on her face, and faintly on the chest and legs of the tom she lay next to. When she realized his shadowy figure was standing in the doorway, the tiger striped queen shook her mate, still staring at him in a cowering way. "Jerrie…" she whispered.

The tom stirred, groggily waking up, "What is it…?" Then he saw the figure and suddenly looked stunned and almost paralyzed. Macavity smirked over the two of them, feeling relaxed and excited at the same moment.

"What do you want?" the tom asked, trying to make his voice sound indifferent, but the ginger tom could sense the fear behind it.

Macavity didn't say anything in response; instead, he strode into the dark prison, bent down in the corner, and dug his claws deeply into Rumpleteazer's arm, dragging her squirming frame up to her feet. She whimpered and ducked down, trying to take hold of her mate, but Macavity already lugged her to the middle of the room. Mungojerrie had blinked, realizing what happened, "No, no, no… Please don' take 'er. No Macavity, Please! Not her!" The tiger tabby was weakly standing up and trying to follow.

The ginger tom turned and kicked him in the chest, causing Mungojerrie to fall back harshly."Bastard! Let 'er go!" Macavity smirked at him, the threatening tone made him grip Rumpleteazer's wrist tighter as he walked. She was struggling to get out of the Hidden Paw's grasp, but he simply pulled on her more.

"No! Please, don't, Macavity! PLEASE!" Mungojerrie's pleas rang out in Macavity's ears like a queen's wail. He could hear Rumpleteazer whimpering and sobbing behind him, still trying to elude her captor. The ginger tom quickly walked out of the room, dragging the tiger tabby queen with him, and slammed the door on her mate while he screamed like torture victim. He locked it with the use of magic more simply than he expected.

Macavity quickly strode out of the Warehouse, being sure that no henchcats saw him or the sobbing Rumpleteazer. As soon as they were outside her pulled her arm up in the air so she was looking at him. He abruptly slapped her in the face, "Shut up, Bitch." He growled harshly. She cowered, which put the ginger tom in a better mood, "Well, Rumple, this is where we part company."

The tiger tabby queen cringed against the wall of the Warehouse, though her wrists were still in his grip, "Y-…you're going ta kill me?" she asked in a small voice.

Macavity sighed, trying to look convincingly victorious, "No, Rumpleteazer, I wouldn't kill a lady. I told both you and your Mungojerrie that I only needed one of you." He smirked at her smugly, seeing that the tiger tabby queen's facial expression was beyond shocked, "Oh and your mate is dead by now, thanks to a henchcat."

She stared at the Napoleon of Crime with a look of disbelief, she dismally shook her head, "No… you… you killed my mate?"

He shrugged, "He had it coming, after the two of you betrayed me and ran into the Junkyard like that. But I'm not going to give you the same fate, dear Rumple. I have a different plan to deal with you. You're going to go back to the Junkyard. You can tell them everything you saw, everything you heard, I really couldn't care less. But the one thing I really want them to know is that Zela has turned to my services once more."

Rumpleteazer gasped and kept trembling in shock, shaking her head even harder, "No, Z-Zela wouldn' do that. You obviously didn' tell 'er-"

"I just recently informed my daughter that I was letting you go, and I'm going back now to tell her about the tragic news of Mungojerrie." He lied smoothly, not even breaking a serious face, "Notice that she's not escaping with you." The ginger tom tossed the tiger tabby queen in the dirt. He waited for the dust around her to subside before stepping forward, chuckling from above her, "Zelaphelia told me to tell you to give her family her love, since she'll be staying here."

"No, she wouldn' do that!" Teazer insisted, "You're lyin'!"

Macavity raised an eyebrow as he picked her up by her pelt and pointed her to the window, "Look in there and tell me what Zelaphelia happens to be doing?" He paused, watching her stern expression turn shocked, "That's right, my dear, she's being lead around in my lair; being introduced to the henchcats. All the things a trainee first does. She'll be a natural agent by the end of the week, of course." The Hidden paw leaned in by her face, "_That_ is the proof of her loyalty to me now." He abruptly dropped the queen back on the ground. "Have a safe journey, Rumpleteazer. Give my brothers my regards."

The ginger tom swiftly sauntered back into the Warehouse and slammed a single door, warding the queen off. As long as she left back to the Junkyard, he really didn't care if she immediately moved back or not. Seeing Zela begin her training would be enough to convince the tiger tabby queen that Zelaphelia had turned. But Macavity was no fool. Clearly, the tribe would not be as easily swayed that his daughter had betrayed them, which was why he had plans already formulated in his head.

Macavity swiftly walked back down the hall of his layer and unlatched the bolted door of a private prisoner cell that he had left Mungojerrie in. He smirked, seeing the tiger tabby lying on his stomach and his paw clenched up in a fist. His orange and black-striped head slowly bent upwards. The Hidden Paw grinned in amusement as Mungojerrie's fur ruffled. "What did you do with 'er?" he asked in a cracked whisper.

Macavity chuckled, "What do you think, Mungojerrie? I finished her off. I told you that I only needed one of you."

The tiger tabby thief stood up and hissed, lunging for the Mystery Cat. Macavity didn't seem threatened in the least as he stretched a paw out and sent Mungo back onto the stone wall with a dark push of magic. He moaned in pain and glared lazily at his former boss, "You'll pay for this…" he growled in a lowered tone.

Macavity only chuckled again, "Don't worry Mungojerrie, perhaps if you prove to be no use to me after awhile, I can reassign you as one of my thieves. It could only fulfill the rest of your pathetic life." The ginger tom cackled as he slammed the metal door and locked it again manually, hearing the light groans of a blubbering tiger tabby tom...

~^..^~

After lying on the ground for the briefest of moments that seemed to go on forever, Rumpleteazer eventually leaned up and stood on her feet. Her legs were weak for sitting so long in the darkness. The sunlight was blinding her as she emptily walked away from the Warehouse property. Several thoughts rushed through her aching head. Most was the spiritless pain that was the death of her mate. The tiger tabby queen didn't want to believe him. Macavity must have been lying. She had just been sleeping next to her mate. But why would he lie? He had turned Zela, so what use did he have of either of them?

Teazer's body shook harder in every step she took. Tears spilled over on her face as her throat began clenching her nerves. She began running down the street. Her mate was gone, and no one was there to know it. Teazer realized while running that she was simply being a messenger for Macavity, spreading news of the Hidden Paw's victory. He'd won over his daughter into his loyalty and confidence. But the tiger-striped queen still didn't believe what she saw: Zela, staring around the Warehouse with intrigue and following a beige queen down a dark hallway as she did. It killed Rumpleteazer, and she wasn't sure how she was going to tell this to Demeter or Munkustrap. As she slowed in a dismal pace by the chain-length fence of the Junkyard, Rumpleteazer was beginning to realize how horrible and hopeless she felt, not because of Zela, but because of the shock and misery that came with knowing that her one true love was gone.

The tiger tabby walked into Junkyard entrance, not even bothering to sneak in as she usually did. She would mistake that Jerrie was just behind her. Teazer choked on her tears again as she walked into the clearing with a casual step that was still somewhat slow-paced. Jellicles began spotting her as she walked right into the infirmary, sensing Munkustrap's scent all around the area. He would have to know what happened first.

Rumpleteazer quietly followed his scent into Jellylorum's den and blinked at four paused figures that were Munkustrap, his daughters, and Quaxo. Everyone quickly stood up at the sight of the queen and her blank expression. Munkustrap blinked, "R-Rumpleteazer? What… you found a way out?" A smile suddenly formed on his silver face. It was false hope in the Rumpleteazer's eyes. He strode over, taking a gentle hold of her shoulders, "I'm so glad you got out! Did Mungo and Zela make it out with you? Where are they?"

Rumpleteazer lost control of her emotions. Her knees gave in as she collapsed on the ground and began crying. She trembled, bringing her paws up to her face and curling up on the ground. Munkustrap bent down quickly and checked her neck for a pulse. After he was satisfied, he blinked several times at her, "Teazer, what's wrong?"

Victoria and Electra had already stood up and standing behind his shoulders. Rumpleteazer dug her claws in her own leg and cried more. Munkustrap held his breath for a moment before asking the fatal question, "Teazer, what happened?"

The tiger tabby queen peered up at him shakingly. She stared at all the concerned faces and sobbed more, "It's… Jerrie… 'e's dead…Macavity killed 'im…" she cringed her head into her knees and cried into them.

She heard Munkustrap letting out a shocked sigh. "Oh no…" he said quietly. Vic and Electra gasped and backed away. Munkus frowned and tried to meet with Rumple's eyes, "And… Zela?"

She shook her head, "Zela ain't comin' back… she's betrayed us…"

~^..^~

The rest of the day went by slowly at the Warehouse; far too slowly for Zela. Jezabella had already begun drilling her about Macavity's lair, and the first few fighting styles that had been shown to her. Anything that was answered or done incorrectly was physically punished, and the gold-red queen didn't dare use magic because of what Macavity had threatened. She did all of the Tokinese queen's little tasks and gave into every command, simply because she was afraid of what was going to happen to Teazer, Jerrie, or herself if she disobeyed just one command.

Jeza hadn't changed at all during the period that Zela was gone, besides her status in the Warehouse. She was still a jealous, hothead queen who always wanted her way, and now she was going to get it because she was Zela's superior. The gold-red queen scowled at the thought. A _superior. _It was killing her inside, mostly because when she was in the Warehouse, Jezabella was simply a pain, but now she was demanding things of her. She was forced to meet henchcats, do hard labor, and it was just her first day of being retrained! But that didn't scare her as much as it did that she would have her first session with Macavity soon… that was scarier than Jezabella ever would be. But at least the gold-red queen had finally finished her work for Jeza. The introduction back into the Warehouse hadn't been that easy, and it was a very long day. It bothered Zela that no one had come yet to get them, but she realized, of course, that would mean risking more pelts and driving Jellicles right into Macavity. The cells would fill up so fast, that there would be a waiting line for elbow room. In any case, she just wanted the tribe to be safe, and if that meant leaving her there… she would just have to wait and find her own way of escaping with Jerrie and Teazer…

In the slight pause of shadows before the light hanging from the ceiling, Zela took a breath while the guardtom, Marcetheus was following her by only a foot. She continued down the hall, completely exhausted. She was tired enough from hard labor without any use of magic that she was vellicating in her paws while walking. Before reaching the end of the hall, the gold-red queen had to pause once again, wiping the sweat from her misty forehead and shaking her paws to get the aching twitch out of them. She heard the tortoiseshell tom sigh from behind, "Are… you okay?" he asked.

Zela glared ahead of her and stood back up, "What do you care?" she asked bitterly, "I thought I was just a Jellicle to you…"

He sighed again, standing up with her, "Well yes, you are, but you're my prisoner and I kind of… need to be sure that you're okay. Otherwise, my boss would have my tail. Apparently you're very important to him."

The gold-red queen snorted at him and continued walking, "That's not a surprise. He's wanted my loyalty to him from the moment I met him, and he did for a little while…"

The henchcat looked confused as he followed side-by-side of Zela, but he raised an eyebrow at her, "You've met him before…? But you're a Jellicle."

"So I couldn't have had a run-in with the Napoleon of Crime just because I'm a part of the Jellicle tribe?" she asked, giving him the same expression.

Marcetheus blinked for a moment and cleared his throat, "Okay… so… if you're a Jellicle… why aren't you dead? Or going under worse treatment?"

Zela stared at the tortoiseshell tom, wondering why he was asking so many questions. It was strange that he wasn't like the other henchcats, but maybe that was why Macavity chose him to guard her. Maybe he didn't want a regular henchcat, because they would probably try to hurt her. The gold-red queen shivered, taking a long pause to answer his question, "I don't know. Maybe he wants me to be healthy to undergo worse torture." She shrugged, grinning in spite of herself.

"Well you're certainly calm about it..." Marceth commented, walked forward down the hall further.

It wasn't until the henchcat pointed it out that Zelaphelia realized that she had been very collected about the ordeal, but that was because she was so sure that if she and the tiger tabby mates were captured, Munkustrap would be on his way before the morning ended. It was at that moment, when it was closing over through sunset that she was losing hope. Maybe the Jellicle Protector was still planning; perhaps they were waiting for nightfall, but even with the smallest figment of hope stirring around in head, she couldn't help but think that her impatience wasn't the cause of them not coming. "I figure if I start panicking then I'm going to lose hope in rescue from the tribe…" She said, looking over at him, and he was looking back at her with both interest and amusement. Zela rolled her eyes, "But why am I telling you this? It's not like you care…"

"Well… no…" he said quietly, "_I _figure that if I need to guard somebody, I should at least know something about them…" Marceth, to her surprise, slightly smiled at her. "You're…not what I expected." He told her.

Zela blinked at him, continuing to walk forward, "Well… what did you expect then?" she inquired quietly, uncertain of why she was asking him this.

"Well… It's just that… when I was told about Jellicles… they were cold… and blank…and they didn't do much… And believe me, that's the first thing I got from you… but you're not the kind of prisoner I was expecting…"

The gold-red queen stared at Marcetheus for a long time, but he suddenly broke it off, "We need to get back to the cells, Zelaphelia…" he said in a strict, business-like tone. The warm, comfortable mood that Marceth had created quickly died in his paws. She frowned and walked ahead quietly. She quickly shook off the feeling of being pleasant and easy-going with the tortoiseshell tom, reminding herself that he worked for the Hidden Paw, and he was nothing but a henchcat. A cold, unfeeling henchcat. The two of them reached the end of the hall to the cell doors. One henchcat was guarding it. Marcetheus quickly stopped and raised an eyebrow. Zela stopped with him with a furrowed brow, pondering what was being sorted between the two toms.

"What are you doing on guard duty, Ben?" The tortoiseshell asked in an attempted mocking tone.

The pitch-black tom glared and sighed, "You know the boss wants to give everyone some time on guard duty when we're not busy. At least I'm not full time." He smirked, and this seemed to agitate Marcetheus. Zela sat down, expressing nothing on her face; her claws were drumming on the floor nervously. The black tom quickly glanced at her, and his smirk suddenly grew, "Well… who is this?" he asked, not even paying attention to the tortishell any longer.

Marceth took a pawstep forward, glaring at the henchcat, "The prisoner I'm guarding. She has access to the Warehouse, and I am ordered to supervise her."

"Well isn't that unusual of the boss…" the tom, apparently named Ben, whispered. He was examining the gold-red female up and down, as if judging her to his likings, which by the flirtatious look in his eye, she was. Zela snarled at him. He chuckled, "Isn't she a feisty one…" he commented smoothly.

Marcetheus didn't say anything in response. He only frowned at the henchcat. He quickly glanced back at Zela and nodded his head forward, "Come on, Zela." The tortishell murmured, as he opened the door, "Goodbye, Benthelo." He said as he waited for the golden-red queen to head down the steps before he did. Zelaphelia didn't hesitate, deciding that didn't exactly like the looks that the henchcat had been giving her, and also that she did not like him. She heard the door shut as they headed down the hall when reaching the bottom step.

Marceth quickly got in front of her while they traveled through the empty catacomb of the Warehouse. They stopped at the padlocked door, otherwise known as the entrance to the cells. Zela leaned against a wall, waiting for the tortishell to open the door. She stared at the floor uncomfortably. He cleared his throat, seeming to notice this face she was showing, "Don't mind that tom upstairs." He mumbled, "Ben's an idiot. He always has been."

The gold-red female sighed. Though the statement didn't make her feel better, she was glad that he attempted to say something relaxing to her. "Thanks…" she said flatly; Zela never thought that she would be saying that to a henchcat.

"No problem." He said back in a doppelganger of her tone.

As he opened the door and guided her back to her cell, Zela realized how complacent she'd gotten in the cells after one night. Perhaps it was the fact that it was away from her father, or that it was because she, for some reason, felt safe with Marcetheus. But as she sat down in her cell and curled up in her corner, Zelaphelia was reminded that in the end, she was in the Warehouse, and that it was a cell she was being kept in, and she was still a prisoner of the Hidden Paw…

~^..^~


	18. A Few Solved Mysteries

_Zela realized how complacent she'd gotten in the cells after one night. Perhaps it was the fact that it was away from her father, or that it was because she, for some reason, felt safe with Marcetheus. But as she sat down in her cell and curled up in her corner, Zelaphelia was reminded that in the end, she was in the Warehouse, and that it was a cell she was being kept in, and she was still a prisoner of the Hidden Paw…_

~^..^~

The faint aura of sunlight crossed over the cells through the slight opening that performed as a window. It was the only portal that was built to level between the underground and the open air. Really, it was a hole dug up a few inches through the ground and barred to support the small part of the building on the solid dirt. It gave Marceth the smallest taste of light for the past few weeks since his job had started. The tortoiseshell's eyes blinked as the sun came over his face. He took in a deep breath and immediately sat up in his chair. As he guarded the cells, Marceth began sleeping while sitting, which gave him an aching soreness that lasted for days. Normally the pain traveled up through his shoulders to his lower back. It only seemed to get worse every time he slept in irregular places. The habit was growing fiercer as his breaks and days-off grew shorter.

Fortunately, he'd be able to sleep in a bed in a day or so and let Jezabella take care of the prisoner. She decided to be chivalrous, which became the most decency shown to him these past few weeks…excluding his conversation with Zelaphelia. Marceth watched her sleep inside the cell. The aphotic realm of shadows that overcame the prison made him wish the sunlight touched her. He wasn't sure why, but she was always very lacked in energy when she was around him, but that wasn't what confused him at all. She was actually quite different from how he pictured his first real prisoner to guard. First off, she was a female; secondly she was a mystical cat; and thirdly, she had the ability to shock him. He never expected that. The Jellicles, to him, were cold, untrustworthy, careless, and cruel.

The tortoiseshell sighed to himself. Maybe he had been wrong? But Macavity always said that this statement was true. He'd proven it, and Jeza did more than vouch for him. Marcetheus blinked as the faint sunlight stretched out over the cells. He could visibly make out an outline of his prisoner's fur. Marceth stood up and strode to the barring of the cell. He lowered his voice, which was slightly raspy. "Um… Zelaphelia?" he called barely above a whisper.

He saw the golden-red queen stir very subtly before her eyelids opened to reveal a groggy violet color with small traces of gold in her stare, "What?" she asked in a harsh tone. Marceth frowned, noting never to wake her up if this was her mood.

He quickly let go of the bars and backed away, "I… was checking if you were awake, Miss." He replied formally, "I'll be back… with food."

"Good…" she mumbled, lowering her head back to the ground.

Marcetheus sighed again and unlocked the door from inside. He wasn't too panicked that she would try to escape. Actually, that had confused him. She basically boasted the fact that she had the power to leave, so why didn't she? Perhaps Macavity was keeping her here with something? The tortoiseshell tom sighed again as he swiftly shut the door again and used the keys he had to lock the door again. He rushed up the dark steps that were dimly lit by the open door. As he looked over the main level once reaching the top step, he saw Benthelo, napping on his guard duty. Marceth rolled his eyes. He now saw why the black tom wasn't put into a guarding position. "BEN!" he screeched roughly into his ear.

Benthelo suddenly shot up and practically screamed. The tortoiseshell couldn't help but smirk at the assassin's reaction. "Morning, sunshine." He greeted.

The black tom suddenly glared as he stood up. He was probably a few inches taller than Marceth, but it didn't bother the tortoiseshell at all. Benthelo glared down, "Screaming into someone's ear? Mature."

Marceth raised an eyebrow, "Mocking me in front of a prisoner? Even more mature. Is that how you get your kicks? Demeaning everyone else?" The tortoiseshell quietly hung his ring of keys up by a nail. He saw Benthelo briefly eying them, but didn't think anything of it.

The black tom shrugged, "Not my fault that poor queen got stuck with the most pathetic tom to guard her."

Marcetheus rolled his eyes, deciding not to respond. He walked off into the opening and out through the main entrance to kill some birds outside the Warehouse. What he hadn't noticed was that as soon as he had gone, Ben had grabbed his keys and ran down the steps that lead into the cells…

~^..^~

Zela stared around in the corner of her cell, feeling sore and very bored. The pain of training made her feel sorry for henchcats. She thought she survived all that hard labor because she was a mystic, but it was even harder than she expected. Why she couldn't elude her father was becoming clear to her. He was a mastermind in every sense of the word; murder, torture, heist, manipulation, hypnotism, and above all trickery. The guilt of not expecting him to make an attack on her was gnawing at the back of her mind. All of the dispiriting work and negative treatment was his way of trying to break her. But she couldn't give up yet. Zela knew if rescue never came, then she probably would give in, but for now, she had to stay stronger than even her father. She also had to remember to not trust anyone in the Warehouse that easily, especially her guard, who she knew she was getting too close to.

Suddenly, a creak from the cell doors edged through her ears. Zelaphelia's attention turned slightly to the door, believing that Marceth had come with breakfast, , but to her surprise and disdain, it was the henchcat from upstairs with the keys. She raised an eyebrow. "Why are you down here?" she asked gruffly.

The black tom smirked at her, taking the ring of keys in hand and putting them in the lock of her cell. Zela's head perked up flinchingly in both confusion and anxiety. He noticed this, "You're awfully jumpy." He commented smoothly, letting the bar door open.

"What do you want...?" she asked sharply. The gold-red queen stood up and moved to the other side of the cell.

"Simply here to say hello to you...Zela, isn't it?" He crooned, walking in slowly, "I feel sorry that no one keeps you company. I bet that idiot, Marceth, doesn't even speak to you properly. He's stiff like that…" The black tom's dull tone gently purred into her ears, but anything he said felt like a nail scratched over a chalkboard to her.

The gold-red queen backed away a step as he came closer to her. She would have been much braver if it weren't for that fact that she couldn't use magic to protect herself, nor could she harm the henchcat. Ben took a few steps closer as Zela backed into the corner. She wasn't sure why she wasn't fighting or doing something to defend herself. The door was wide open and she could easily run, but the question if Macavity would punish her for it with Teazer and Mungo hung on her mind. The black tom smirked, "You haven't been touched before by a tom, have you? Not in the right way…"

Zela ruthlessly spat at his feet and gave him a glare. "Go. Away." She growled lowly.

Ben didn't react through his facial expression. Instead, he roughly slammed his forearm on her collarbone and pressed her against the wall. "Why would I do that?" he asked, suddenly smirking, "That wouldn't be much fun… And besides, you're a very pretty queen, even if you are… you know, grimy and all cut-up from the boss." He gave slight shrug and a lustful grin.

The gold-red queen squirmed, escaping his grasp. She headed for the other side of the cell, but she was quickly stopped when the black tom caught her, yanking on her wrist. Zela was knocked back by his grip, and ran into his chest. She would have dashed off again if he hadn't wrapped both his arms around her. His muscles tightly tensed around her body, and the only thing Zela could do was writhe around. Ben pushed her to the ground and landed on top of her.

_I'm stronger than this! _She screamed to herself, _He's just a henchcat! Don't let him hurt you! _But she knew that this order was not going to save her. The tom had pinned both her paws by the time she convinced herself that she needed to fight back. The gold-red queen squirmed around, but it did nothing but cause more pain. The black tom bent down and begun whispering in her ear, "I'm going to show you what a real tom does with a queen like you." He chuckled darkly, "You need it, seeing how tightly wound the boss has you wrapped around his claw…"

Zela tried squirming again, kicking the air, but wasn't getting anywhere. He forced her down harder into the ground pressing the side of his face by her ear, "Don't squirm around, it'll only hurt if you do. But trust me, I'm helping. You need to loosen up and get used to it here as quickly as possible… You ain't going anywhere…"

The gold-red female shuddered has he roughly kissed the side of her face, and looked about ready to force himself into her. Zela couldn't help but twist as he sat on top of her, needing some way of escape. She stared around and avoided the henchcat's soulless gaze, looking for anything she could grab or use. But before she did anything, a sudden voice shouted into her cell, "BENTHELO, GET THE HELL OFF HER!"

Zela was barely able to turn her head to find her guard crash into her den. He didn't hesitate to pounce on the black tom sitting on her, and_ she_ didn't hesitate to stand up and back away from them in a corner of the cell. The gold-red queen witnessed them wrestle, Ben having the upper paw for a short time before Marcetheus suddenly grew in strength and pinned his opponent to the ground. "You idiot!" he growled at Benthelo's face, "You DO NOT touch any of my prisoners!" Marceth rashly gripped the black tom's head fur and slammed his skull on the ground, "If you ever do anything like that again…" he continued, "…I'll kill you."

The tortoiseshell tom immediately stood, dragging the henchcat up with him, "Now get out of the cells before I kick your ass out of here myself!" He strode over to the door of the Zela's cell and pushed Benthelo out.

The black tom's fur was ruffled and his eyes were harsh and bellicose when directed towards Marceth, but as his gaze turned to Zela, he lightly smirked before swiftly turning around, leaving the cell doors open. Marcetheus quickly rushed to where the henchcat exited and slammed the entrance, quickly locking it with the keys he'd taken out of Zela's cell lock. He turned again in a pivot turn and shut the door of the cell.

Zela stared at him with a bit of a dazed look. She barely realized what happened until he was standing in front of her with a pacing breath and shocked eyes, "I'm sorry…" he breathed.

The gold-red queen gulped, mostly in some feeling of embarrassment and crudeness. "Yeah, you should be. Why the hell did you do that?"

He gave her a look of confusion. Zela actually wasn't sure what she was doing, but she knew that she should have been able to rescue herself without his help. The only way she really wanted to react was to lash out on Marcetheus. He stepped forward by the bars, "Uh, I was saving you from being raped by a mad henchcat, that's why I did it!"

"I didn't need your help." She stated simply in response, glaring at him and standing up to meet him by the bars. He was glaring at her, but she couldn't have cared less.

The tortoiseshell tom scoffed, "You're one ungrateful queen. Do the Jellicles raise you to be spoiled, arrogant, little brats? Or did you _want_ to get sexually assaulted?"

She rolled her eyes, "No they don't, and I would have been fine…" she grumbled, realizing that he was right and she needed to admit it. She looked away from him, but then glanced back, "Thanks anyway, though…" she said quietly.

He sighed and backed away from the bars, "You're kind of a pain; you know that?"

Zela nodded, looking into his golden eyes, "Sorry about that…" she explained, sitting back down.

Marcetheus stared at her for a few moments before sitting back down. He was unusually calm, but the only thing he made as his reaction was a solitary nod of forgiveness. Zelaphelia slightly grinned as she crawled over to her corner. The tortoiseshell was interesting to her now. "Oh yeah…" he murmured, standing back up. The gold-red female looked up. He quickly slid a dead bird into her cell that he had dropped near his seat, "I brought you breakfast…"

~^..^~

The day had gone by in the Warehouse normally, and Macavity had been watching his daughter's progression while training with Jezabella. She was languid in the work that was given to her; emotionless and lacking in motivation. But for some reason, no matter what job Jeza gave her, the gold-red female was indefatigable. He never saw a queen look so strong in his Warehouse. Jezabella had been drilling her with labor work, and sometimes making her fight henchcats, which she didn't seem to have a problem with doing. She still wasn't allowed to use magic, but even without it, Zela was progressing in regular training. It may have only been a couple of days now, but Macavity knew that he needed to begin showing her his secrets. It wasn't like she was going anywhere.

The Hidden Paw ordered Jezabella to send Zelaphelia to his den after all of her daily training had been worn through. It was near sunset at the time, and Macavity waited with himself in the middle of his room, pacing impatiently. There was an almost irresistible urge to try and fight her himself, simply to see how she was improving physically, but he was able to push that feeling away, for now. What he wanted to show her that evening would prove whether she would be able to stand working here and keep hold of her sanity. The importance of the topic grew in the ginger tom's mind with every minute that passed by.

Suddenly, the door was opened, and a small queen precariously walked in with a frown lining the corners of her mouth. Macavity huffed once as she entered into the room. "It's about damn time." He muttered to her. "Do you know how long I've been waiting for you?"

Zela narrowed her eyes at him, but stayed silent. Macavity huffed again. "The correct answer to that question is 'No, Father.'"

She nodded solemnly. Macavity scowled. He knew how much she hated him and denied the fact that she was his kin, but she would have to realize it someday soon, in order for her to be broken-in. "Say it." He ordered.

The gold-red queen's lips curled back in hesitance. Finally she looked at her paws, mumbling the phrase to him; "No, Father…" He grinned, knowing that the words were torturous to his daughter, but it simply made him all the more amused.

"Good, now you know what I plan to teach you, correct?"

She glared at her paws. "Yes."

"Yes, what?" he growled.

Her glare intensified. "Yes, _Father."_

Macavity grinned again, though he couldn't help but have a taste of remembrance, feeling as though he had heard Barnabas say 'Yes Sir.' In the exact same tone she used.

"Better." He said, though he wished slightly that her words were more in reverence. Maybe someday they would be, but for now, he would be able to stand her cold words. "You will follow me." The ginger tom walked past his daughter to the door of his den and quietly walked down the halls of his Warehouse.

The cobwebs spun over in the corners of each archway they passed. Shadows overwhelmed the torchlight's dim glow and kept the foyer plunged in darkness. He grinned evilly, passing through the cavities of his Warehouse with some dyspeptical look in his bright, yellow eyes, yet still kept a steady look of amusement wrapped around the edge of his lips. As they walked down to a dead end in the Warehouse, Macavity looked back at his dispassionate daughter. Her violet and golden eyes were flourished in dull color and edged in the reflecting light of torches. She looked dead inside almost, but there was still a small shine of awareness; a small shine that waltzed through her eyes like the last will of hope. The ginger tom decided quickly that he needed to erase what was left of that shine. She may have thought that the Jellicles would be at her rescue sometime soon, and in time, that would be how her dauntless hope would perish. He sighed, opening the door and stopping to wait for her to come along beside of him. The ginger tom smirked as he heard her gasp.

Inside the room was a chemical lab. Different colored liquids were bubbling under Bunsen burners. Beakers sat next to test tubes with different lengths of a black liquid in them. There were several empty laboratory glasses and a carefully lit contraption that was moving a dark poison around into a vial, drop by drop. Macavity glanced back at his daughter, seeing her mouth go agape. It made his evil smirk grow. "Welcome to my current work, Zelaphelia." He said. The ginger tom went in as he grabbed a vial filled with the swishy black liquid, displaying it for her. "Beautiful isn't it?"

Zela had a look of shock over her. He grinned at her speechlessness as he set the vial back with its set. "My own concoction. Took me years to develop it, long before you came along…"

The gold-red queen walked in further to look at it. Macavity was almost proud from her genuine curiosity. She stared at the vials. "What is it?" she asked quietly.

His grin increased. "I'm glad you asked." He picked up a small beaker of the black liquid, swishing it around. "It's a mixture of carefully measured poisons. I used up years of my lifetime to drive it to perfection... You could call it my own unique brand of toxin. I hear your little tribe calls it the insanity."

Zela just stared at it curiously. She stepped closer, examining the vials with her eyes. She looked entranced, in a way, which made Macavity think that perhaps she was taking an interest in his work. He knew by her frigid, icy grimace and pale face that she couldn't stand being near him, but he would take advantage of the situation anyhow. The golden-red female tilted her head to the side, glancing at her father before turning her attention back to his chemistry. "… How does it work?" she asked flatly.

Macavity wasn't worried about revealing information to her. She couldn't leave anyway, and he would make sure she wouldn't either. "The toxin is brought into the blood stream, either through the veins or if it is consumed. It takes less than an hour for the compound to move up into the brain. Once it's settled there, it begins poisoning brain cells, and sending currents through the body to give it a false feeling of excruciating pain." He grinned before continuing: "By that time, it begins moving its way around the body, into the muscle tissue, vital organs, working mostly in the nervous system.

The brain is kept thinking that the body is more sick than poisoned, thus giving my little experiment the camouflage as a virus. It reproduces after taking over white blood cells by budding, so really it cannot pass through the system. In fact, it can only get worse. The nerves get torn down, the brain is literally dying, and a sickness is only increasing in side-effects that cannot be healed by regular treatments alone. In only a few months, the poison would completely take over the body, and eventually kill the subject in question." The ginger tom turned to look at a shocked face. He grinned, raising an eyebrow. "Is that clear to you?" he asked.

The gold-red queen subtly, yet visibly nodded. She still looked bewildered and horrified at all he had explained to her, which made Macavity feel better, now that he was about to show her his first few experiments with the toxin. "Tell me, Zela, do you notice the lack o f henchcats around my Warehouse lately?" he asked.

She didn't say anything. He decided to let that question slide. If she was anything like him, she wouldn't notice cats so inferior to her. "Follow me." He told her. Before leaving the room, the ginger tom snatched a syringe filled with the poison and another mixture on the next counter. It was a clear liquid in a corked test tube. He looked back at Zelaphelia to see that she was close. Macavity was satisfied to see that she was close to him, curiously staring at what he held in his paws. As the ginger tom walked back down the halls, walking around another corner, near another dead end, he glanced back at his daughter with a mischievous smirk. "There's something else I think you should know about my creation…" he said. Zela stared at him distrustfully. Without warning, the ginger tom jabbed the needle of the syringe into her arm.

The gold-red queen leaped back, yelping in surprise and pain. He injected half of the poison into her veins, and then took the needle back. Her blood oozed off the end of the needle, as well as the hole in her skin. Zela stared at the puncture wound, and then looked back at him with large eyes and an open mouth. Macavity could have sworn he saw fear glimmer past her facial expressions. "What the hell did you do to me?" she screamed at him.

Macavity rolled his eyes, not particularly enjoying her screams of terror. "I ejected the poison into you." The gold-red queen looked back at her arm, holding the tiny wound. He let out a breathy sigh. "Merely to show you that nothing is going to happen to you."

At that, Zela looked frustrated and confused. "What?"

"Look;" the ginger tom stuck the needle into his own skin and ejected the rest of the poison. Her expression turned even more shocked and disgusted. He dropped the empty syringe to the ground showed his arm to her. "You see, Zela. The unfortunate part about my beautiful work is its fatal flaw. The magic that consists in it is canceled out by mystic blood. Cats with magic have a more adapted immune system, which makes it impossible for the poison to take over. As soon as it goes in, it's immediately dissolves and eventually passes through the body."

Zela stared at her father with a look of sheer relief, but still with shock tangled in her reaction. "That's why it didn't work on Misto…" she mumbled.

"Precisely, and since there are a small number of mystics in your tribe, it was far too easy to avoid your little tuxedo friend to find this out. I like it better that way, actually. It gives me a chance to capture any mystics in your tribe…"

"So… that's what you're planning. A murder rampage in the tribe. You're going to kill them all off with this toxin of yours, and then capture whoever survives. You're planning the extinction of the Jellicles."

He gave her a chuckle. "Smart queen…" he said in a less than surprised tone. "Very intelligent conclusion. Obviously that comes from my genes. But of course, I have one more thing to show you. I needed to experiment with the poison… tamper with it to make sure that it was ready. However, there was only one way to do that, and it was to find subjects that were not mystics."

Macavity looked toward the door in the dead-end they stood in. It was bolted down, locked, and the only thing way to see into the room behind it was a small window covered by glass."Would you like to see?" he asked, offering her the door…

~^..^~

Zela suspiciously glared at her father. She wasn't sure what game he was playing, but she would cooperate for the Jellicles' sake. All he had exposed to her was shocking and amazing, leaving her in a bitter awe. Before thinking about it more thoroughly, the gold-red queen edged towards the door and looked through the window. She peered into a dark room. It looked like nothing at first, until she squinted and looked closer. Then her eyes widened as she let out a gasp.

Henchcats. Dozens of henchcats, wriggling on the floor, coughing up their own blood, staggering over the walls, and screaming their heads off. Their eyes were pierced in weakness. All looked unwell and unrestrained. A few were flying around the room with their unkempt fur, appearing to be psychotic. The most unpleasant view was of the dead cats with their bodies torn up. A mixture of black and red blood was spilled on the floor as the bones of the corpses stuck out. The flesh was rotted, and yet the starved, infected henchcat still edged towards them, ripping off pieces of fat and meat to subside their hunger. A dead queen lied in the corner with two black kittens crawling over to her, nudging her body pleadingly. They let out faint mewls of sadness, wondering why their mother was not moving, or why she couldn't feed them. Pretty soon, they were pushed away by the insane henchcats that were hungry. Obviously the henchcats had been driven to be carnivorous. She shook her head in disbelief. Zela was horrified of the sights. Holding back an urge to vomit, she turned around and stared at the floor. No words could come out to describe to her father about how sadistic and malicious he truly was. The horror and pain that ran through her mind overtook her feelings completely.

Zelaphelia heard Macavity chuckling at her reaction. She glared at the floor, being sure to suppress her tears of sympathy and heartache. "Are you shameless, you repugnant monster?" she choked out.

He didn't respond to her comment. "You should look back in there. In the back right corner. I think there's someone there you'd like to see."

Zelaphelia looked at him. His statement was bizarre and horrid, but she knew he wouldn't say that without having reason behind it. Tentatively, she looked back inside, avoiding the other henchcats, and directed her attention to the back right corner. She gasped again, eyeing the one cat she hadn't seen at all in the Warehouse upon her return. "Griddlebone…" A white queen was lying in the corner. Her pure-white fur was dulled, the ends edged in a yellow color. Her pupils were dilated, and she was staring out into space without blinking.

"She got too curious about my work." The ginger stated coldly from behind, "I merely demonstrated what she wanted to know."

Zela turned at him with a growl. "You're a bastard." She hissed.

Macavity chuckled. "I am for not letting her out of there sooner. That room is under quarantine, and I wouldn't like to be the sap having to interact with those suffering henchcats." He held up the clear liquid in the test tube. "Get this to her without being ripped apart, you can save her."

The gold-red queen stared at it, quickly making the presumption that it was the cure. She quickly grabbed it from his claws, and looked at his expression. It was completely neutral, and unreadable. With a gulp, Zela turned back to the door, which had already been unlocked, probably because of Macavity's powers. With a deep breath, the gold-red queen jumped inside. She shut the door behind her, looking around at the eyes that quickly turned to her. Zela hid the vial behind her back.

They were all staring at her with a hostile look. Some low growls came out of the toms. The queens were backed away in a corner, having a terrified look in their eyes, as if she were a demon coming to torture them. Zela moved away from the unfortunate henchcats, knowing that there was nothing she could do for them. She only carried a small test tube of the presumed antidote of this poison. It wouldn't be enough to save any of them. Zelaphelia ran to the other side of the room, ignoring the toms that were pacing near her with curious eyes. All of the cats seemed to be mute around her. They didn't dare speak, which she didn't mind at all. The gold-red queen spotted the Persian queen and rushed over to her side. She already looked like she was dead, and yet her chest still heaved deep breaths. Zela quickly shook her. "Griddle…? Please speak to me…"

The Persian queen said nothing.

Zela wasn't sure if it was the effects of the sanity that drove Griddlebone to this state. She wondered briefly how long it was that she had been infected. The golden-red female let out a sigh, deciding she would ask questions later. Instead, she uncorked the test tube. A putrid odor instantly filled the air. Zelaphelia's nose wrinkled in distaste, but she could already hear the growls of the henchcats behind her growing stronger. Ignoring them, Zela tilted Griddlebone's head up, and forced the concoction down her throat as gently as she could.

She waited a few seconds, throwing the test tube at the other side of the room, which had the other henchcats immediately running for it. She wondered if Macavity tortured them with the cure once in awhile. Zela waited a few seconds, praying that a reaction would come through the Persian queen. Suddenly, Griddlebone let out a gasping breath, almost immediately sitting up. Zela let out a sigh of relief, touching her friend's shoulder. "Griddlebone, let's get you out of here…"

~^..^~

**A/N: I'm sorry for the delay. I was having some trouble writing this chapter. It's actually been bugging me about how graphic I've made this fic. I'm going to consider changing the rating if it gets much worse than this chapter was. Anyway, hope you enjoyed it. Please review, and I'll update asap! :)**


	19. Trivial Prejudice

_Zela waited a few seconds, praying that a reaction would come through the Persian queen. Suddenly, Griddlebone let out a gasping breath, almost immediately sitting up. Zela let out a sigh of relief, touching her friend's shoulder. "Griddlebone, let's get you out of here…"_

~^..^~

Munkustrap watched the Junkyard less curiously than usual. His whole effort was drained a little of being the Protector. His job had finally gotten him into a daze, realizing that he just lost two out of the three Jellicles he had sent to snoop around the Warehouse. He was, of course, feeling more guilty than usual for it, but what he couldn't believe with everything coming at him at once was the fact that Zelaphelia had turned from her tribe. When the words came out of Rumpleteazer's mouth, he couldn't believe it. No one could. Not Demeter, Victoria, Mistoffelees, or Electra. Frankly, the whole tribe could not believe Teazer.

Zela was a part of their family. There was absolutely no way that she could have left, but Teazer kept insisting that she saw it with her own eyes. She claimed to have been told that her mate was killed, and also confessed an astounding story about everything she saw and heard from her encounter at the Warehouse. Munkustrap couldn't imagine it… Zelaphelia, betraying them? Again? It was unbelievable, but if the story was true… what was he going to do now? Go back and try to find her? Bring her back? He shook his head. It wouldn't be possible.

Demeter wasn't taking the news to well. She came into their den after coming back from working with Jellylorum. Munk had told her all he had heard, but she wouldn't listen to any of it. _"You're lying…"_ was what she said to him. "_Stop lying to me, Munk. You promised me she'd be back!" _He had tried to tell her was told to him. The only truth he could actually give. He tried comforting her, trying to make her see what he was saying wasn't all that bad, but all she did was slap him in the face. She _slapped _him_. _"_How could you…?" _She had whispered, and that was when he left the den and Demeter locked herself in side. Munkustrap considered himself as 'banned' from his own den, but he thought it would be best to let his mate cool down before trying to speak to her again.

The silver tabby sighed, staring down at the ground. He sat on the TSE 1 silently, watching the wind circle around the dust. Alonzo suddenly appeared out of nowhere next to him. "You look like shit, Munk…" he said bluntly.

Munkustrap glanced at his friend, and slightly smirked. "Yeah. But it's not like you look much better…"

He chuckled to himself. "I know…"

"How's Cass and your daughter?" the silver tabby asked casually.

Alonzo shrugged. "Alright I guess… Cass didn't take the news about Zela well…"

"Really? What'd she say?"

"Well… she had to explain it in front of Vita that one of the closest cats in her young life wasn't coming back… she learned how to speak now… simple words, of course. 'ma-ma', 'da-da'," he chuckled quietly. "You want to know what she said today? She said 'Ze-wa'. Strangest thing, she's interacted with Zela only a few times, and has already gotten familiar with her…"

"Yeah well…" Munkustrap shifted around uncomfortably."I don't know what to do about it now… Rumpleteazer is convinced that she's turned…"

"Do you think she is? Why would she do something like that, to us…? I was suspicious of her once, but I never thought that…"

"Macavity's a manipulator. If he found the right words, he could have gotten her to do anything… It's not a wonder he got to her…"

Alonzo nodded, though he looked a little uncomfortable about the subject. He looked up at Munk. "Could it be possible that it's not true? Maybe she's there now, being held against her will?"

The silver tabby stared at his friend and sighed. "I sincerely hope that's true, Lonz, but… I have no proof to give to the elders, and most of them are leaning towards what Rumpleteazer told them before she went all… you know… catatonic. The whole tribe is torn up. No one's sure what side to take, but it's like the tribe's divided."

"Well you know what they say, 'A house divided against itself cannot stand.' …" Alonzo's nose wrinkled as he thought over his statement; "Or at least I think that's what they say…didn't some famous president give that speech?"

Munkustrap rolled his eyes and shrugged as he looked out into the Junkyard again. "I don't know. I'm not American…"

Alonzo quietly chuckled as he followed his friend's gaze. "But still, it's true."

"Well thanks for being philosophical for me…" Munkustrap said with a grin, probably the only grin he had gotten on his face for a while.

Alonzo laughed softly, "No problem… So how's Demeter taken all this?"

Munkustrap suddenly lost his grin as he looked down at his paws, his ears drooped. "She's not talking to me…" he said in a depressed tone, "In fact… she's cut herself off from everyone, even Bomba…"

"Really?" the patched tom looked as though he regretted the question. "That doesn't sound like her…"

"Yeah… she's really cut up about the whole thing… She really hates me for this…"

"I'm sure she's just upset, Munk." Alonzo told him. A look of concern lined the edges of the patched tom's eyes.

"I wish that were the case, I have no idea what's wrong with her, Lonz… She's never just didn't want to work out problems. I must have really hurt her…"

"I'm sure it's not as bad as all that." Alonzo told him, patting him on the back comfortingly.

Munkustrap sighed as he jumped off the TSE 1. "If only, Lonz…" he said, walking off into the shadows of the Junkyard, probably off to do more patrolling. Alonzo watched him as the sky grew dark. It didn't feel like things were turning in any better way, but he could still hope, if not for the tribe, then at least for his family…

~^..^~

Behind the locked door of a dark den, Demeter was lying on a couch cushion in an exhausted state of body and mind. She'd felt like she had been thinking over everything for years. Yet, she knew that it had only been a few days since she lost her daughter. Had it really been that short of time? Demeter had theorized that time began slowing down after something terrible happened. And after what Munkustrap had told her, she felt things were beyond terror. Perhaps it was just her, thinking these horrible things, having strange, dark things overwhelm her mind.

She began contemplating why tragedies happened. Why innocence had to suffer, and the evil were succeeding. Why Macavity enjoyed torturing her and her family. Why he took someone she cared about. Was it revenge for everything that happened between them? Was it to hurt her and Munkustrap even more than he already had? Or maybe he actually was planning to do something with her. But the question of how haunted her mind. How did he seduce Zela into his dark ways? How did he convince her to join him? They were all just empty, unanswerable questions now. Nothing could be answered anymore…

Someone suddenly knocked on her door. The gold queen glanced at the entrance, but didn't really want to answer. No one gave her answers, so why should she give any? They knocked again, harder, and began calling her. She recognized the voice as low and masculine. She thought it might have been Munkustrap, and she was refusing to let him come in at all.

"Deme, come on! It's Tugger! Will you let me in?"

Demeter raised an eyebrow, but quickly shook her head. "Go away, Tugger!" she shrieked, letting out a cough into her paw unintentionally.

"Please? I… I just want to talk to you… I think you're the only one who'd really get what I'm saying…"

The gold queen paused as she stood up, wobbling a bit before sighing quietly. "Regarding what?" she asked hoarsely, rubbing her eyes.

"…Zela." He mumbled.

Demeter's hard expression softened as she sighed to think about it. She knew about what Tugger felt for her daughter. It was quite obvious, actually, but she never said anything to her daughter, hoping it was just a small fling that would pass in time. The gold queen glared. "Just go away… please…"

"But-"

"I SAID LEAVE, TUGGER!" she growled more furiously. Demeter didn't want to speak to anyone, especially him, or Munk, or her sister. All of them were just bitter reminders of the dreadful days that were ahead.

The gold queen didn't get a response, and assumed he had walked away. Demeter looked up at nothing before hacking again. She staggered on her feet before making her way to roll of clean toilet paper. The gold queen unraveled some while coughing up on her arm. She tore off the end and began hacking into the tissue. After a few seconds, she looked down at her paws, seeing the white paper spotted with red. She sighed, wiping some blood off the corner of her mouth, and placed the paper with the pile of red and white rags she had made in the corner of her den…

~^..^~

Tugger frowned as Demeter shouted inside of her den. His ears drooped as he slowly walked off. The Maine Coon felt as though she could have been the only one who would understand what it felt like to lose someone to betrayal. It hurt. It hurt real bad. He couldn't even fathom what was going on, whether it was Zela leaving or this strange disease spreading through the Junkyard. Three others had just gotten infected. Not just Plato and Etcetera were sick, but now Jenny, Pouncival, and Asparagus were all having bizarre reactions. It was frightening in a way, especially to the Curious Cat. He wasn't even sure what was going on anymore. All he knew was that volunteers in Jelly's den had to be extremely careful.

For this reason, Tugger was staying as far away from the place as possible. He didn't want to catch anything. And then he heard from Teazer that Zela had joined with Macavity, which only added to the trauma being carried by the tribe. Some began wondering if they could trust her at all now, others thought it was a lie. The tribes' perspective was too divided to do anything! Not even the Rum Tum Tugger was sure of what to think… He knew that he didn't want to believe it, because it was most likely his fault. After all the rotten stuff he had said to her… probably hurting her feelings and making her feel worse about herself. It was reasonable… but Tugger still wished he didn't have to blame himself…

Quite suddenly, the Maine Coon glanced at Bomba, lounging around by the wooden platform that was sitting on the ground and leveled up at an angle. He remembered always hanging around there at the Jellicle ball about the time of Skimble's song. He looked up at her as his ears perked minimally. "What are you doing?" he asked her dully.

She grinned. "I'm seeing Tugger, but I'm hearing old Gus."

Tugger rolled his eyes and snorted. "Ha. The question still stands."

"Just lounging about…" she said with a slight smirk, "Why?"

"Just wondering…" he sighed as he looked back down at nothing. "You just seem so calm, I suppose…"

"Should I not be, Tugger?" She asked, chuckling softly.

"Well… I figured you'd have just a tad bit more stress on you with everything that's going on… I mean, between a disease raging in the Junkyard and your sister being… herself."

The scarlet queen curiously raised an eyebrow. "Herself?" she repeated in confusion.

"Yeah, paranoid, anti-social, unfriendly… herself." He smirked at her, though the tease was less sprightly than he intended for it to be.

Bombalurina gave the Maine Coon an annoyed eye roll, but then shrugged and walked off the platform. "You know she wasn't like that a week ago. But after what Zela did…well… it's not surprising."

Tugger grimaced at her last statement. "Zela didn't do anything." He insisted.

Bomba chortled, "Oh, come on, Tugger! You think your little sweetheart is so innocent? Rumple said she _saw her_ training with henchcats!"

"Yeah, Teazer said that after she went into a state of _crazy_!" he exclaimed. Tugger knew that this was a very heated debate, and Bomba was obviously on the opposite side of him.

Bomba rolled her eyes in slight annoyance, "Tugger, of course she's in shock! She lost her mate to Macavity, she was held hostage in the most feared place in London, and she's probably seen worse things than anyone one of us."

"Yeah, but she could have been mistaken." He pointed out, trying at least to convince her that Zela may still be on their side.

"I doubt it."

He growled lowly at his failed attempt. The Maine Coon turned away from Bombalurina and shook his head. "You don't know her like I do, Bomba. I might have been hopeless to think that I could change my personality for her, but at least I know that I'm taking a step forward by trusting a fellow Jellicle."

The scarlet queen sighed roughly and shook her head, "Well… you have your opinion, and I have mine."

"She's your niece!" he countered sharply.

She shook her head. "A niece of mine wouldn't have turned to Macavity."

"And if I'm right? If she didn't turn to Macavity?"

Bomba hesitantly looked down at the Curious Cat and let out a sigh, "Then she was always part of my family."

Tugger gave a slight grin towards her way and then padded away to find someone else to talk to. Who would listen to him though? Maybe Bomba had the confidence that even she could be wrong once and a while. If she could admit it, then could the rest of the tribe? The Maine Coon sighed, discarding the idea, because the tribe was too divided on opinion to really decide what to do anymore…

~^..^~

Macavity had allowed Zela to take Griddlebone back down to the cells, allowing her to be nursed back into a conscious state of mind. Right now, she was so confused and afraid. Nothing could compare to the paranoia that was around her. She didn't even look at Macavity or Zela. The Persian queen just had a blank stare in her eyes. Zela scowled when she heard her father chuckle darkly in some sense of amusement, but had quickly dismissed her from her lesson, reminding that nothing be said about what she saw that day, or else Jerrie and Teazer would meet a grim fate.

It was possibly the most horrifying thing she had seen in her life. All of those cats, despite being henchcats, were being ruthlessly tortured… they were helpless; turning to madness as the toxin reigned terror over their bodies, beginning to eat the dead, decaying felines inside the quarantined room. The gold-red female wasn't sure what to make of it, besides it being repulsive in too many ways. Zela sighed as she guided Griddlebone through the twisted maze that was Macavity's lair until they met Marcetheus at the door of the prison. He normally waited their after her work was through, just so he could check that she was in a cell right after. Sometimes he would watch her train, then again quite a few of the henchcats would.

She looked up at the tortoiseshell tom. He had a raised eyebrow. "Zela…Is… is that Griddlebone?"

Zela blinked at him with some confusion beginning to glimmer through her violet eyes. "You know her?"

He nodded quietly and took the confused Persian queen's shoulder, still looking quite surprised. "Yeah, I saw her around… but I thought she left a few months back…"

"Well, she didn't…" Zela muttered as they both guided Griddlebone down the stairs into the cells. The gold-red queen's eyes adjusted slowly as they got to the bottom of the dark hallway. She held up the dazed Griddlebone as Marceth opened the door of the cells, which had a dim glow of sunset blazing around the hall. As he walked in, the tortoiseshell tom helped put the white queen inside Zela's open prison. They gently laid her down together.

"Do you think she's okay?" he asked, clearly naïve in medical knowledge.

Zelaphelia shook her head, unsure of the answer. "I hope so… Is there anything we can give her? Water? Food? Medication?"

Marceth shook his head. "…No, I've never seen any of that stuff down here… I could take her back up…see if Celestica would see if she's okay…"

Zela blinked at him. She hadn't expected Celestica would still be at the Warehouse. She thought all of the queens she once knew were probably gone, besides Jeza and now Griddlebone. Perhaps there were more cats than she remembered from the past… "In the queens' den?" she asked quietly.

He nodded, oblivious to her curiosity. "Yeah…" he did his own self-examination of the Persian queen, but then quickly stopped. "She looks like she'll be fine, though… she just needs some rest…"

Zela grinned slightly, "What makes you official in the medical profession?"

"I'm just good with felines, I guess." He replied, giving her a sheepish smile.

The gold-red queen held back the urge to roll her eyes. She looked down at the now-unconscious Griddlebone, unsure of how she was supposed to tell her what happened. What did Macavity expect her to remember after something like that? There were too many questions to ask before the Persian queen could get better. For now, Zela just decided to let her sleep, but she did want to know what had happened, and how long she had been infected with that toxin. But at least the gold-red female knew that the liquid Macavity had given her was the antidote. There might still be a way out of this mess.

Marceth blinked at her and curiously touched her shoulder gently. "Do you know what happened?"

Zela stared down at his paw. She barely realized it was on her shoulder before shrugging him off. "… Let's just say she's been gone a while…" she murmured, looking down at her unconscious friend, "but she's back now… She just needs to realize it."

He nodded solemnly in response, though he seemed confused by the answer, it didn't surprise Zela that he didn't question her further. "She'll be okay…" he predicted positively.

With a sigh, Zelaphelia stood up and slid down the cement wall, trying to think of what to say to him. But was there anything to say to a henchcat who was helping her? Actually not treating her like a prisoner, when he was the one who was supposed to be watching her the most? Marceth stood up from Griddlebone's side, slowly walking over to her and sitting down beside her. "You're not okay, are you?" he asked, looking at nothing in particular, but still keeping his head turned in her general direction.

Zela faintly grinned at the henchcat's decency when attempting to converse with her. She could hardly expect him to be comforting, since he was loyal to her father, but there was no one else in the Warehouse that was conscious who could possibly do much better than he could at the moment. No doubt Jerrie and Teazer were having a problem just keeping sane. The gold-red female turned her head slightly towards him. "Don't expect much from me, Marcetheus. I don't open up to cats I don't know…"

"But we do know each other." He pointed out. Zela raised an eyebrow at him. The tortoiseshell tom gave her a sheepish grin in return, "Well… technically."

Zela rolled her eyes. "Yeah, but you wouldn't understand… You're my guard, not my therapist."

Marcetheus slightly grinned at her but then just shrugged. "True, but one thing I am for certain is a good listener."

"… Why would you listen to someone that you barely know? A_ Jellicle_, nonetheless?"

"That sounds like something Jezabella would say to me, you know…" the henchcat told her, looking up at her face for the first time. Of course, his words weren't ones that Zelaphelia could appreciate, but the genuine look on his face told her he really did just want to talk. She sighed; disappointed that she couldn't trust him enough to do so. "Mm hmm…. Whatever you say…"

"You don't like talking about her?" he asked gently.

She grunted in frustration. "Of course not, but I don't like talking, period."

"I could just stare at you then?" he asked wryly, giving her a smirk. Zela couldn't help but roll her eyes from the backhanded comments he was throwing at her.

"Will you ever give up?" the gold-red queen grumbled.

"I'm probably just as stubborn as you are." The tortoiseshell told her, keeping his smirk.

The gold-red female hesitated when she thought about glaring at him. What she hated about Marceth the most was that it was hard to hate someone who seemed so altruistic. Instead of giving him a resentful, ornery look of some kind, she just sighed roughly and looked down at her paws. "Alright, so maybe I'm a little upset that I'm being held against my will, my tribe is slowly being exterminated by the most evil cat in London, and I'm going to have to join his side if I don't want to see more cats hurt…"

She glanced over at him to see if he was true to his word when he said he was a good listener. Marceth was looking at her, nodding quietly. Her lips curled back in a half-grin. "I only feel like I've got Griddlebone, now that my family seems to have forgotten about me…" She grimaced, wondering why she said that, when she could have phrased it much more benevolently.

The tortoiseshell henchcat gave a humored grunt. "Doesn't surprise me… After everything the tribe did to Macavity. I wouldn't put it past them to do something so heartless."

Zela's expression hardened at him. "I didn't mean it like that." She clarified harshly, but then quickly grew soft in her features. "I just miss them…"

Marceth nodded again, and very tentatively put his paw on her shoulder. "Listen, I know I can't do much for you. I know I'm only a henchcat to you, but… I can say that I understand what it's like to be away from family. It hurts when you can't see the only cats that you want to have pride in you. I want to prove to my parents more than anything that I can be a son to be proud of, but… considering they're hardly around…"

The gold-red queen raised an eyebrow, but was slightly interested in the subject. "Where are they, then? They're henchcats?"

He nodded solemnly. "Yeah… they go out on missions. They act more like contacts, really, traveling up by the borders and by the north side of England, learning information easily for Macavity. They left on a mission for him about six months back… I haven't heard from them since."

Zela felt as though she was seeing a softer, more vulnerable side to her guard. She slightly smiled and looked up at him. "You know, you henchcats aren't as bad as they say you are."

He grinned and shrugged. "Only the sadistic ones are bad. The boss puts them on outside missions. Probably what gives henchcats such a rotten image…"

"Well… thanks for giving me a better perspective, then…" she told him. THe gold-red queen wished she couldn't smile as much at him, but she found she couldn't help it. Zela quickly realized that she actually didn't _hate_a henchcat.

He grinned slightly at her. "Not a problem… I'm more than happy to clear my name."

"I didn't think you were awful when I first met you." The gold-red female admitted, "I mean… you didn't make any snide comments like the rest of them… Why were you so different, Marcetheus?" She truly couldn't stop herself from asking. Her own curiosity was pulling on her on why she could stand talking to someone who worked for her father.

Marceth tilted her head to the side, then quickly looked away from her and curled back his lips. "I… I didn't think I was…" he said honestly. "You think I'm different?"

Her lips curled back. "Well… apart from other henchcats…" Zela explained. She looked away from him, a bit anxious to be so near to him now, as she could feel his eyes on her. "I suppose it was just what I thought the first time-"

Zelaphelia didn't get to finish her sentence. It ended when she saw his paw forcefully turning her head towards him. Before she realized what he was doing, she felt his mouth crash onto hers. The gold-red queen paused in awe as he pulled her in, deepening his kiss. Zela kept her eyes wide open, staring at him in total shock. After a few short seconds, she got up the nerve to unsheathe her claws and smack him across the face with her free paw. Marceth fell back at the force of the blow, looking up at her sharply. The gold-red queen instantly stood up and looked like she was about to kill the tortoiseshell as her silhouette stood over him. Her one claw was pulled back, ready to strike at any attack. She glared angrily. "Don't you _ever _do that again!" she screeched at him, "I knew I could never trust you! You're a lunatic if you think you can kiss me and get away with it!"

Marcetheus gently sat up, rubbing his aching cheek as he looked straight up at her. "You mean just how Benthelo almost got away with raping you?" he countered. The gold-red female's hardened expression softened slightly as she lowered her paw. She was unsure of how to answer him. Marcetheus quickly stood and strode up next to her. Zela didn't move. "The only reason I kissed you," he began with a sharp tone, "was to show you that I really don't have to be too different from the henchcats. It's proof that I could have gotten away with anything, and that you judge on first impressions as much as a common cat would. Hell, you're no different from any of the Jellicles, even when I thought you could be. How about you know a cat before you judge what they're capable of, hm?"

Zela stared at him in awe at what he had said to her. No one had ever talked to her in that manner. Not even Macavity. The golden red female took a pawstep back and turned away from him. The only thing she could think to say just wouldn't come out. A henchcat had left her speechless. She shook her head, _scratch that… _Marcetheus_ made me speechless… _The tortoiseshell tom quickly turned away from her, pulling Griddlebone up and carrying her out of the cell. He closed the door of her cell from behind, then pulled the Persian queen over his shoulder and rushing up the stairs to the ground level. The gold-red female was left alone, and was about ready to burst into tears. She wanted to go home…

~^..^~

**A/N: I'm ashamed that I haven't updated for a month, so this is my apology chapter. School began, and caught up with me too quickly. Rest assured, I'm planning to make my next update much quicker. Thank you everyone! **


	20. At An Understanding

_Zela stared at him in awe at what he had said to her… A henchcat had left her speechless__… __The tortoiseshell tom quickly turned away from her, pulling Griddlebone up and carrying her out of the cell. He closed the door of her cell from behind... The gold-red female was left alone, and was about ready to burst into tears. She wanted to go home… _

_~^..^~_

_How does one find someone they love when they don't want to be found? _Munkustrap had been silently asking himself this for a day more now. The same theme repeated in his head throughout all his relationships. He sighed deeply as he thought back on the events unraveling in his mind. The silver tabby knew he had an idea that could help him, but if he could trust himself was uncertain. He shook his head, vaguely thinking over the thought of simply patrolling the city, maybe just trying to catch a trace of either Zela or Macavity. Perhaps then, Munk could bring her home to the Junkyard… maybe receive forgiveness from his mate.

He sighed and walked into the empty meeting room, pondering what Skimble and Jelly and the rest of the elders would react to him sending a few Jellicles out with him. Was there a way around their judgment so they could take some action? Munk shook his head, and suddenly figured how doubtful half of his plans were becoming. But to defeat Macavity… well…that was easier said than done. So saying that his plan was doubtful of succeeding was basically making the bricolage of beating his half-brother ten times as difficult. Munkustrap blinked, suddenly looking up at three Jellicles entering into the meeting room. They appeared neutral, but with slight glints of confusion in their eyes. Tugger, Coricopat, and Tantomile stared at Munkustrap curiously. Despite this, Munk let out a sigh of relief. Tugger came in first as the twins slunk together behind him. "What's this all about, Straps?" The Curious Cat asked him.

The silver tabby walked towards his siblings he cleared his throat. "I need your help. All of you." He told them.

Cori and Tanto glanced at each other for a moment before looking at him. "You want to go out and search for Zela." They concluded.

Munkustrap rolled his eyes and grimaced at the twins. "You could at least let me-"

"-Get out a sentence?" The finished simultaneously.

He glared. "Yes. You know I hate it when you two read my mind."

They smirked slightly, both giving an innocent shrug. Munkustrap rolled his eyes. "Anyway, I think if we retraced their steps from when they left, perhaps we'll find her and find out what happened ."

The twins nodded impatiently, which annoyed the silver tabby tom since they already knew everything he wanted to do…

Tugger, however, seemed more eager than impatient… actually, he seemed like a combination of both. Munk blinked in uncertainty as the Curious Cat took a step forward. "So what's the plan then? We walk near to the Warehouse? Then what?"

Munkustrap shook his head. "No. We'll stay away from the Warehouse. But we do need to search near it. We'll ask around. We can't risk getting capture by Macavity, but cats outside of the tribe could know things about Macavity's operations as much as a henchcat would."

Cori quickly added to his statement: "You think someone might've seen Zela."

Munk sighed, "Yes. Cats that know about it on the west side will probably be the best subjects."

"Wait a second!" Tugger finally spoke up, "Why can't Cori and Tant just find her with mind reading? We wouldn't even need to leave the Junkyard!"

Tantomile quickly shook her head. "We can't get our minds in the Warehouse. We don't know why. We never have."

Munk blinked. "Misto said he couldn't either..."

"Well Munk, there are only three mystics in the Warehouse."Coricopat explained, "Macavity blocks his mind. Zela's mind is on mute, somehow, and the third doesn't answer back."

The silver tabby raised an eyebrow at his half-brother and stepped forward. "Who's the third?"

Tantomile shrugged. "Probably someone with powers who doesn't realize they have them. Doesn't matter that much."

"We always know about mystics." Coricopat told him, "We can sense them. We knew that about Zela. We knew that about Cassandra's kit when she was born. I knew you were going to ask how we knew about the mystic." The male half of the pair grinned sheepishly.

Munk rolled his eyes and sighed. Then he raised an eyebrow slightly at one thing Cori had said. "What do you mean about Cassandra's kit? Vitalee's… a mystic?"

Tantomile blinked. "We thought everyone knew by now."

Munk blinked, wondering if Misto knew this or not. His mind blanked a moment as he tried to think over what that would mean. A kit. A mystical kit that had been attacked with the poison yet was completely fine and recovered well. He wasn't sure why, but somehow, he felt like this was important. "No… no I didn't… alright, we're going outside into London. Meet me by the gate in five minutes."

The silver tabby left his three befuddled siblings, and headed quickly into Jellylorum's den, wanting to be sure that Misto could put at least one part of this puzzle together. Vitalee's life had hung in the balance for a short time, but had healed more quickly than the regular kit would. Then Misto had told them he had been injected with the toxin, and yet he was as right as rain. Munkustrap rushed in to find a tired Mistoffelees hunched over on his desk and scribbling notes down to what he saw in a makeshift microscope…

~^..^~

Morning came and passed faster than Marceth could realize it. He kept the cell doors locked and decided to stay with Griddlebone for the night. Jezabella was there, guarding at the doors, so Zela would be safe and Macavity wouldn't have many means to punish him if he found out Marceth left his only prisoner by herself. Still, the tortoiseshell was continuously kicking himself for kissing her like that. He felt ashamed to do something so forceful just so he could prove a point. Hell, what did he have to prove to her anyway? That he was tough and wasn't different from the other henchcats?

He sighed heavily as he sat next to the sleeping Persian queen on a green sofa in the queens' room. It wasn't too long that he realized that he was making a terrible mistake, trying to make Zela think that he was something he knew he wasn't. In fact, he felt more like an idiot. He wasn't the kind of cat that just did the things that Benthelo or Macavity did on a whim. But it was the cat that his boss would want him to be. The boss, his parents, Ben and Ramlowe… they all had the same expectations of him. Maybe Zela didn't deserve to be told off for simply making an assumption. In fact, it was the most decent thing that he'd been told about himself; he wasn't like the others. For some reason, it made Marceth feel like a regular feline now in a normal home where he could be with parents that cared about him… Perhaps someday he'd start a family of his own. That's the way he would want it. But the Tortoiseshell tom soon realized that that would never be his life, no matter how much he wanted it. In the end, fate ruled over the destiny he pictured. And his boss, the tom he now realized was not what he had appeared as for too many years, was controlling fate now.

A sudden gust of wind sent a shiver down the tom's back as he felt the Persian queen twitched. Marceth sat up as his gaze traveled towards her. "Mmmm…" she mumbled quietly. Her eyelids opened to only show slits of her dark irises. She didn't pay much mind to him until her tail brushed his arms. Her eyes slowly moved to him.

Marceth leaned forward. "Griddlebone?" She just blinked at him. "How are you feeling?"

The slits in her eyes grew large as her jaw elongated to make a sound. "Maarr…" she whispered in a raspy voice.

He nodded, "Marceth. Your friend? You remember…."

She tilted her head to the side of her shoulder and stared at him. It took a few seconds before her eyes fluttered and sparkled in brightness. "Marceth…" she murmured lowly. "W-… Where are we?"

"Queens' room." He told her shortly. "I guess you've been out for quite a while…"

"Zela…" she breathed, "I heard her voice… I saw her face… I haven't seen her since…"

Marceth's forehead wrinkled above his brow. He was confused over this topic. "Griddle, how do you know Zela?"

She groaned and slightly sat up, rubbing the part of her head behind her ears. "That was a while ago…Her father brought her here. She was accepted by everyone, and she loved being here, as well. She worked with henchcats that were much older than she was. Everyone wanted to see her use her powers, but she mostly liked being with the queens in the queens' room…"

"…Zela was… one of us?" he summarized, sounding befuddled.

The Persian queen nodded. "Once…" she told him, shifting into a more comfortable position, "She left because she didn't believe in what her father preaches to us. She went to live with her family in the Junkyard, but that was the last I ever heard of her… Macavity wanted her back, though. He tracked her down and plotted this whole thing so he could find her…"

"Why? Because of the powers? That's not a big surprise…"

Griddlebone nodded solemnly, "Yes… but it's also because she's his flesh and blood. His daughter…he wouldn't want anyone else to take over his empire when he passes…"

Marceth stared at her with enlarged pupils. "You're kidding…" he said in a quiet voice, feeling this news was ineffable to him, so he couldn't really produce a good reaction.

She shook her head, "If I was, he wouldn't have done so much to get her back. It's a shame that he found her…."

"A shame?" he asked, still in some shock. This was not good. He kissed the boss's daughter. If she so much as Griddlebone implied it, he was dead. "…Why is that?"

She wheezed before looking straight into his face. "She doesn't want to be here, but he must be keeping her here with something… she would have gotten out if he didn't… but with her power wielded against her own kind… he could destroy them, combined with his own…"

Marceth stared down, nodding quietly. He wondered why she hadn't said anything about this before. "Tell me more about her…"

~^..^~

Zela stared down the empty hallway with similar cells like hers lined up over the walls. She sighed quietly, uncertain if she was bored or feeling sorry for herself. The self-sympathy wasn't actually helping in the least, but it still was good to know there was something she could do. The days were growing so long and going by so fast, she had barely kept track anymore. The gold-red queen blinked once, realizing that a key was being turned in the old door. Zela stood up in her cell and looked through the bars as she saw Marceth enter in.

A scowl was suppressed on her face, considering that she wasn't sure what she felt about him at the moment. Zela knew that she admired his bravery. He had only spoken to her a few times, and yet he found ways to talk to her every day; in the movement of his eyes, the facial expressions he gave her, the few reactions he would give if he did something embarrassing, or by the things he said. If they ever had a pleasant conversation, Zela was thinking that it was more than innocent banter.

However, all of the forbidden socializing between them had ended, and was replaced with a strange uncertainty of silence. They both stared at each other's faces. Zela gazed through the essence of awkwardness exposed in his expression, and focused more on the glint of curiosity in his eyes. Marceth seemed unfamiliar with her; as if this were the first time he had seen her face. Yet, why could she sense the countenance of astonishment? The tortoiseshell closed the door quickly, only breaking their gaze for a moment to lock it. He suddenly found recognition between them as he sat down in his chair next to the door. He cleared his throat. "Are you, uh… okay? …Calm?"

She nodded, not looking away from his eyes, which still held their strange glint. "…I'm fine… uh… sorry about… your cheek…" Zela didn't dare tear her eyes from him.

Marceth smoothed his paw over his cheek and grinned slightly, "Oh… believe me, you were fully entitled…"

She shook her head, looking down at the dirt shamefully, "I still shouldn't have done it… I'm not supposed to hurt henchcats, you know…"

"You didn't though." He replied, standing up and walking over to the bars. He bent down next to the edge of the cell where the gold-red queen sat. They were only inches away, with only the bars to separate them. Zela looked up, suddenly looking into his eyes, "I deserved it, and… I really didn't want to provoke you like I did.-" he sighed roughly and sat down on the floor, "I wanted to prove a point, Zela, but I forgot that it's a statement I don't believe in… You said I wasn't like the other henchcats, and I always thought I wasn't either, but I still wanted to be one of them… I'm just an outcast to them, being one of the lowest Warehouse statuses… I wanted to think I was just as good as them…

"But that's a mistake… I know I'll never be henchcat like them… I just didn't want to believe what you told me. That was different, when I've been trying to fit in so much… I'm sorry that I'm telling this all to you now… I'm sure it's against everything the boss teaches us, to trust in a Jellicle…" He turned to look at her, his knees bent up and his elbows propped up on them, "But you're not like them, nor are you like us…You're both."

Zela could only blink in response. All he had depicted from himself and from her… it made sense, or at least it significantly did. She nodded to express that she understood all that he said,. She could see herself being both from the Warehouse and the Junkyard. She was of both bloods, Macavity and Demeter, a deadly combination that resulted in her. They were two strong, bold, and idealistic cats that had given half of their strengths, and half of their weaknesses; Macavity's strength and magic, but a long with his cold, unforgiving scorn, and Demeter? She gave Zela warmth, perseverance, and kindness, but with that came the paranoia and uncertainty of life. Truly, a deadly combination… "… I know I am…" she responded shortly.

Marceth nodded quietly and stared down at the ground. "If we're being honest… I didn't think you were awful when I first met you too." He smirked faintly as he said this.

The gold-red queen chuckled, "I could imagine… am I now?"

"No…" he replied, finally meeting her eyes, "in fact, now that I know more about you, I think I'm more inclined to say that I like you now."

Zela, knowing that a week ago she would have been disgusted at this statement, smiled, "I'm afraid I have to say the same thing now, Marceth." And at that unexpected moment, they laughed together.

But soon after they realized this had happened, there was a slam on the prison door. "Open up! We need the queen!" a rough voice growled, sounding very annoyed.

Zelaphelia tensed, and notice Marceth's lips curl back in hesitation. He finally came to, and stood up off the floor. He grabbed the keys off their nail and unlocked the door. "You'll get her," he replied flatly as he walked over to the cell and unlocked it, giving her a final look of friendliness before three henchcats walked in. To her displeasure, she recognized all of them; Jezabella, Barnabas, and Benthelo. Zela groaned as the door opened. She felt exposed to all of them. Barnabas stepped forward with a rotten smirk. "You're going on a little trip around London with us, Zelaphelia. A job for the boss." He said in a sleazy tone of voice.

Jeza stood up next to him with a stern look, but also seeming to have a dark, delighted glimmer pass through her eyes. "And he told us to tell you that any shenanigans from you, and there will be consequences of your actions… also that we're evaluating you."

Zela frowned, reluctantly standing up. She glanced at Benthelo, who had the same barbarous look on his face. A job in London… that just didn't sound good at all…

~^..^~

Coricopat and Tantomile could sense something strange around in their city. The four cats walked together, patrolling, just as Munkustrap had planned. But in their combined mind, the mystic twins could easily sense some sort of danger, though they feared telling Munkustrap of this, for fear that it might just lead him straight to it. Their foreseeing gift sometimes worked in that notion. If they saw something they felt would cause damage, they normally ended up not saying anything of it, because it could have been that they who revealed the future were the ones who caused it to happen in the first place. So the twins kept silence as Munkustrap began leading them around the bustling streets of London. Humans ignored them mostly, but that was because they kept away from tourist sites and were sure to not draw too much attention to themselves. The silver tabby kept them walking through alleys and interrogating suspicious characters. A couple hours into it, Coricopat began to get extremely annoyed with Tugger.

"Munk, this is taking FOREVER." The Maine Coon complained loudly. "We're not exactly getting anywhere either!"

Munkustrap sighed roughly as he paused and glanced at the Curious Cat, "Tugger, you're mane's fluffing up. Get a grip and keep walking!"

Tugger grumbled to himself and did as his brother told him. Tantomile could sense he was quite annoyed; more antsy than patient. If it didn't concern both the twins that he was so eager to find Zelaphelia, they would have said something else they had read in Zela's future. One Tugger would not enjoy knowing. They continued walking down the cracked side-walk, the thought of the Warehouse in the back of all their minds…

~^..^~

The darkened, more hazardous streets of London seemed to keep its eerie look, even in the day time. Why Macavity felt it was necessary to send his daughter out on a mission was beyond him, but it seemed to be enough evidence to see if she would learn to be completely obedient towards her superiors. He could feel that he was close to breaking her, and almost wished he could read deeper into her mind, but sadly, his powers of mind reading was not as strong as that of his half-siblings, Tantomile and Coricopat. If he had stronger mental powers, he wouldn't have any use of henchcat spies, but most of his power was used to block the Warehouse.

But he watched Barnabas and Jezabella lead the two young cats, and was actually proud that all of those sessions with Jezabella and himself were keeping Zelaphelia in line. But now, he was simply watching and waiting for the something to happen to test her. He was thinking about releasing a Pollicle on her, but decided that he didn't want to waste the pollicle. He still had plenty of ideas to break her spirit, though he had plenty to do, for instance, sending someone to the Junkyard and update him on the spreading of his toxin.

For now, the Hidden Paw kept himself deep within the shadows, watching his daughter intently as they wandered down the streets. Suddenly, he could spot small figures ahead of them. He raised an eyebrow slightly, but smirked, knowing that this could be useful to him…

~^..^~

As hard as it was to function with Benthelo glancing at her with his sick smirk, Zelaphelia was determined to stay focused. She was hoping that whatever this job was, she could get it done fast, or perhaps something would happen that would prevent them from doing whatever Macavity wanted them to do. She was secretly hoping for this to happen as they passed into the street.

She then shuddered as she saw something up ahead, and paused in her tracks. Perhaps this was the escape she was hoping for? Benthelo harshly nudged her forward. "Better keep up, _Sweetheart_…" he muttered, "Wouldn't want the boss finding out that you're slackin'…"

~^..^~

Tugger looked around London disinterestedly. Amazingly, this was supposed to be the sketchy side of the city, and all he wanted to do was leave! In his head, Tugger wanted to just find Zela and of course Mungo and Teazer and then go home! They had gotten to interrogate a few cats, but they had heard nothing about Zelaphelia, which didn't help their party much. What was going to help them, the Curious Cat was still thinking about. He stared forward raising an eyebrow slightly at four cats traveling in two rows. He blinked a few times before nudging his brother, "Hey, Munk…?"

The silver tabby glanced back at him. "What is it?" The Maine Coon pointed forward at the four figures, his eyes seemed to grow larger as their scent seemed to forward close to them. Henchcats. Tugger felt his lips curl back in a soft hiss…

~^..^~

Barnabas's eyes widened as he finally recognized faces he remembered spying on before. "Jellicles…" He hissed under his breath. The black tom looked at the other three cats in his group, narrowing his eyes slightly. He didn't truly believe that Zelaphelia would be able to attack her own kind, which would obviously be something he would report to the boss. He paused and eyed the Jellicles as they came closer. "I know who they all are, and I'm assuming _you _do too." He said, staring at Zela mostly, "Munkustrap, the silver tabby, is someone Macavity wants for himself. He won't be killed. Neither will the twins. Attacked, but not killed. The Rum Tum Tugger is a target for becoming deceased, however."

He saw a twinge of horror pass on the gold-red female's face. Barnabas smirked. "What you all waiting for? Have at 'em!"

~^..^~

Munkustrap saw the henchcats suddenly unsheathe their claws and stride over with their teeth bared in vehemence. The silver tabby quickly turned to his siblings and gave them short nods. "You know what we have to do…" he muttered, unsheathing his own claws and turning towards them with hostility. But he couldn't help but pause, only for a moment, when he caught Zela's bewildered and uncertain face. She was trudging forward but kept warily away from them.

The Jellicle Protector was about to call to her, but found the leading black tom leap at him bellicosely. His mind was lead away from Zela, but roughly called out to Tugger. "Get Zela!" he ordered…

~^..^~

Zela kept next to the alley, seeing that the twins were battling with Jeza and Benthelo, and Tugger was trying to get past them. She bit her lip, trying to distance herself away. She didn't count on any of the Jellicles coming, and was wishing they could rescue her now. The gold-red queen stared at them and tried staying far away from the ambush. Suddenly, a paw reached out and covered her mouth, pulling her deep into the shadows. She let out a scream through her nose, only to see her father's piercing eyes glaring at her. "What are you doing?" he growled at her, spinning her around to face him, "When you see Jellicles, you attack them! That is common knowledge!"

Zela stared at her father in slight shock before glaring at him. "I'm not going to hurt them." She stated firmly.

Macavity growled, gripping her arm tightly, his claws almost digging into her skin. "You'll hurt them because I tell you to, and if you don't, I'll run out there and kill each and every one of them painfully, and then go back and kill those tiger tabby sneak thieves just as slow as I killed them. If you want to see your little friends alive, you have to hit them with everything you've got! Now get out there!" He roughly pushed her out into the light with a glare.

Zela stared at Tugger, who was still not being attacked. He finally caught sight of her, and made his eyebrows jump up. "Zel?" he said, barely above a whisper.

The gold-red queen stared at him sympathetically before unsheathing her claws. "I'm sorry…" she muttered to the ground, then got a furious glare on her face and leaped at the Curious Cat.

"What are you doing?" he asked during the struggle, trying to push her off of him as they wrestled on the ground. Zela ignored his question and roughly dug her claws into the side of his shoulder. Tugger let out a pained cry and cringed as the blood on her claws was exposed. She detached her paw from him and roughly clawed the side of the face before leaping off of him and hissing.

The henchcats had harshly pushed the rest of the Jellicles off of them and backed away. "The Warehouse." Barnabas panted. "Now."

Zela stared the Jellicles, all looking exhausted and bloody, but it was Tugger's face that disturbed her the most. He was staring at her with a saddened face that expressed the betrayal he felt from her. As Jezabella nudged her forward Zela began running back with the henchcats, leaving a trail of her bloody paw prints and tears that streamed down her face. However, she could already see her father's smug face looking at her…

~^..^~


	21. Strange Feelings

**A/N: Instead of a horrid excuse of why I haven't updated in a month, let's get straight to the story with the intended promise that I will update quicker! :)**

"_The Warehouse." Barnabas panted. "Now."_

_Zela stared the Jellicles, all looking exhausted and bloody, but it was Tugger's face that disturbed her the most. He was staring at her with a saddened face that expressed the betrayal he felt from her. As Jezabella nudged her forward Zela began running back with the henchcats, leaving a trail of her bloody paw prints and tears that streamed down her face. However, she could already see her father's smug face looking at her…_

~^..^~

Afternoons were beginning to become boring, especially when all Marceth could do in his free time was watch henchcats train. Instead, he kept himself occupied in the worst way that he could: thinking about Zela. He knew it was the only thing he shouldn't do, thinking of a Jellicle queen the way that he was, but after what Griddlebone had told her about Zela as a young queen, Marceth found that he couldn't get his mind off of her.

The Persian queen told him that Zela was a shy kit, and took awhile until she got comfortable with other henchcats. That was why she frequently spent time with Macavity. He taught her everything about her magic and what the Jellicles were like, and yet Griddlebone claimed that Zela was very different from Macavity. She was gentle and caring to anyone in the Warehouse, except for Jezabella, who she apparently had a serious rivalry with. The tortoiseshell wasn't sure how to react with this. Jeza was his mentor. She had been like a big sister to him all his life, and Griddlebone was a mother to him more than his own mother! It was certainly a twist in his relationships.

Still, thinking about Zelaphelia was wringing his mind, tightening his muscles together when her face mentally imaged itself in his head. He wasn't sure why he felt this way for a queen he'd barely known for a week, but Marceth quickly realized that he knew everything about Zela. He had been basically kitsitting her during her training. He talked with her often when they were both confined to the Cells, and now Griddlebone told him of the gold-red queen's past and everything she went through. It was safe to conclude that Zela had astonished him.

Suddenly, training ceased as four cats entered into the Warehouse. Four of their own covered in blood from the paws down. Barnabas led them, with dry blood on his fangs, looking smug and proud of himself. Benthelo was close behind with a despicable smirk on his face. Jeza appeared from behind them, her gaze quickly turning to Marcetheus with blood staining her lower lip. She lightly grinned at him before following Barnabas towards a dark hallway.

Marceth blinked in confusion as they left, not noticing Ben coming up to him with his smirk "Better take care of that queen before she runs off and tries to kill herself." He told him connivingly before padding off to the wing where assassins stayed.

The tortoiseshell raised an eyebrow slightly, hating that he couldn't have questioned his rival, and was left wondering what his statement meant. The door abruptly opened, making everything in his hearing range drop silent. The sunlight made the figure into a silhouette, the light edged out a faint gold lining over a hunched-over queen. Marceth watched as Zela gingerly entered into the Warehouse's light, looking pale and tragic with dark red curved around her claws.

Marceth hesitantly walked towards her, avoiding the gazes of a few staring henchcats that were near the walls and the center of the room. He stared at her, seeing vulnerability in the tears that welled in her eyes. "Zela? Are you okay?"

She didn't look up at him, but by the twitch of her ear, Marceth could tell that she knew it was him. "Just please get me back down to the cells…" she said somberly.

He was about to comply and lead her back, but his boss's enigmatical figure appeared behind his daughter. Marceth froze in his place, noticing Zela's ear lean back, sensing someone behind her. "I think it's time we talked, Zela." He said, smirking slyly.

Zela glared at the floor, but glanced up at the tortoiseshell before reluctantly standing up to face Macavity. The ginger tom quickly glanced at his henchcat and frowned, "Go and wait in the Cells." He ordered sharply. Marceth blinked in a pause, but as soon as the command registered, he bowed his head and headed for the dungeon doors. Still, he couldn't help but watch Macavity lead Zela to his den, trudging her steps behind him…

~^..^~

Munkustrap seethed as a stinging pain went through his leg He hadn't thought that henchcats were that powerful…. Of course, this pain hadn't just come to him physically. No, all he could think about was watching Zela attack Tugger, then run away with those henchcats. He happened to be more confused than saddened, though. Tugger had been the most befuddled over the behavior, and probably the most upset. Everyone else was simply shocked over the news, and knew that meant it confirmed what Rumpleteazer had told them.

Everyone but Demeter had been told, and Munk was almost afraid to go to her and say anything.

He figured she wouldn't come out of her den anyhow, to see _him_ nonetheless.

The silver tabby tom just winced as Jellylorum sewed up the deepest scratches on his leg. However, Jelly didn't take any notice to his pain. Though, who could blame her? She received several new patients merely over the period of days. Munkustrap had watched as Plato grew worse; the supplements given to him for treatment were wearing off fast. Little Etcetera and Pouncival had both gotten the disease soon after Plato grew worse. Such negative effects on their young bodies would not be good for them, obviously.

But once Jenny and Asparagus started to have reactions, it became clear that no one could be near the sick Jellicles. This virus was now deemed susceptible. And Munk was watching as Skimbleshanks was at his sick mate's side and his family taking occasional visits. Mostly Jemima, since she had been with Victoria and Electra as they became frequent company for Mistoffelees. The young tom seemed very determined to find a cure for this disease before it became fatal, but Munk could tell he grew weaker by the day.

He looked up at Jellylorum and smiled contently as she finished her work. "Thanks, Jelly." He said, standing up, and keeping his distance from the patients' beds. The newly arrival patient was Tumblebrutus. He was right alongside of Plato's bed. Munkustrap breathed in deeply and walked into the next room.

In there, it wasn't much better. Munkustrap looked around, seeing the three queens sitting on couch pillows and watching Mistoffelees put a few drops of a liquid into a beaker. He saw the tuxedo tom grimace as there was no reaction in the substance. "Dammit!" he growled, throwing the beaker on the ground, causing it to shatter with its contents spilled over the ground. "This is impossible!" he screamed, sitting back down in his seat. He was clearly disappointed from his failure.

Munkustrap frowned, but walked in anyhow. Victoria gingerly paced over to her mate and patted his shoulder. He shrugged her paw off and bumped his head on the table top, making everything on it shake.

"Mistoffelees." The silver tabby called. He entered inside, seeing Misto turn his head to the side. He said nothing.

Munk watched his daughter shake her head at him and sit back down. He sighed and walked inside, avoiding the glass scattered along the floor. He put a paw firmly on his son-in-law's shoulder. "Take a break, Misto." He said.

The tuxedo tom looked up at the Jellicle Leader with bloodshot eyes. He looked even worse from when he had seen him last, and yet he also seemed like he could be argumentative over the subject of him resting. "No, Munk, I have to get this done. They'll die if I don't."

"They're not going to die in twenty minutes." He assured sternly. "Now rest. You need it."

Misto paused for a few moments before standing up and heading over to his mate. "Sorry, Vic…"

She nodded at her mate and nuzzled his skuzzy shoulder affectionately."It's okay." he told him, gently sitting him down on a crate. Munkustrap smiled slightly as he wandered over to Electra, who was sitting next to Jemima.

He realized Demeter was right at that moment. He needed to be there for his daughters, all of them; and he had been too blind to remember that he had more to worry about than just Macavity and protecting his tribe. He also needed to protect his family. He wondered what Demeter would think of him if he came to her with that notion, but he hadn't even thought about going to her yet.

"Misto, we found out that Zela's joined Macavity." He informed quietly, "We saw her attack Tugger when the henchcats ambushed us…"

Munk saw the tuxedo tom's face grow pale and surprised. He remembered that Misto's first prediction was that Macavity might have killed her, but they all quickly learned that that was not the case. "No. Not possible." He muttered, sharply shaking his head.

The silver tabby rolled his eyes, though it was the answer he expected. "Believe it, Misto, it's the truth. I saw it with my own eyes."

He glanced over at his daughters and Jemima, all expressing horrified expressions, all seemed equivalent in their disbelief.

"Daddy, you're not serious." Electra stated. The hope in her tone just made him more depressed.

Reluctantly, Munk shook his head and turned himself from the group. "I'm afraid I am." He said regrettably, "She nearly clawed Tugger's eye out when the henchcats attacked. As you can see, I've got the scars to prove it."

Misto, still looking as adamant as before, shook his head again. "Things aren't' always what they seem, Munk." He said, turning to his father-in-law, "You know that. Now, I don't know why, but my gut is telling me not to believe this until I see it with my own eyes. But I'm not doing anything further until I find a cure for this incessant virus…"

The silver tabby stared at Mistoffelees for a moment, seeing his expression filled with determination. Using a solemn nod, Munk indicated his consent. "Have it your way, Misto… as soon as you and Victoria go find something to eat. You both look exhausted." He peered at his daughter, smiling faintly at her plump stomach, "How long until they're due?" he asked her.

Victoria turned her focus up, her eyes smiling from her father's approval. "Jelly said it would be another month." She replied.

Munk's smile widened. All of the bad had come up so suddenly, he remembered that he should have been happy for receiving grandkits. "They might be here in time for the ball." He pointed out.

"Assuming we have one." Misto blurted in a murmur as he walked over to his mate.

"I know you won't let this virus get that bad, Misto." Munk retorted quickly, trying not to mind the tuxedo tom's negativity.

The magician's lips curled back as he slowly nodded. He wrapped his paw around his mate's waist, and the faint shimmer of happiness passed through his expression as he glanced down at her stomach. Munk knew from that look that Misto was going to succeed for them all, especially to handle the welfare of his new family as protectively as possible. This reminded Munk of a younger version of himself. He remembered a blooming relationship with Demeter, who was pregnant with their first litter at the time. He was busy, running the tribe when his father left them, and yet… somehow he had started a healthy, happy family, without any problems. It reminded the silver tabby that he needed to bring that back, starting with making up with his mate.

"Get out of this den, and get yourselves some food." He said to all of the youths. "I need to go check on your mother."

Without waiting for an answer, Munk quickly assumed that they would follow his orders and rushed out of the room of sick patients. If only there was a better way of traveling around them. But he let the thought slide from his mind as he exited the medical den and rushed through the clearing to get to his den. He paused to think of what to say to her, but then knocked on the door."Deme?"

If only she knew how sorry he was, and how hard he would work to try to get Zela back to them. He would get her back on their side, if it made his mate happy. However, there was no reply from the den. He knocked again, "Deme!"

Nothing. Munkustrap frowned, thinking that she would at least shout at him for being persistent. It hurt him that she would just ignore what he was trying to tell her. He tried once more, this time with more agitation, "Deme, it's Munk! Please let me in!"

Still no reply. With a frustrated growl, Munk backed away from the door. He had had enough of this. Adding to his momentum, he sprinted up and slammed his body into the door. He felt his weight crash with a thud as he took the entrance with him. He huffed, knowing his arm was going to bruise, but he would get over it. It's not like anything else could hurt much worse. The silver tabby dusted himself off on the ground and stood up. "Deme?" he called again, finally getting a glance around his den.

Then his eyes widened at the terrible sight.

His mate lied on their bed horizontally, her head facing downward at the ground and her legs hanging off the side. The silver tabby noticed next to her was a pile of red rags. From where he stood, he smelt the faint fragrance of blood in the air. He strode up to his mate, who was clearly unconscious, slowly taking her shoulders and turning her around. At the sudden glance, his eyes grew wider, seeing her eyes looking dazed and her mouth edged in blood.

Munkustrap, not thinking clearly, picked up his mate and carried her out of the den. He rushed off back to Jelly's den …

~^..^~

As soon as the door of her father's den was closed, Zela began having difficulty from holding in tears. She couldn't break. Not to Macavity. As soon as she fell apart in front of him, her will to stay stubborn, her hopes of returning to the Junkyard; they would all be shattered. The gold –red queen dug her claws into her palm; so much that it was beginning to dig through the surface of her skin and causing her to bleed. She closed her eyes tightly as she froze in the middle of the room.

From behind, she could feel Macavity's burning gaze on her backside. She could just picture his dark smirk. The smugness in his eyes that signified that he had won her over on his side, but Zela kept it hidden from her face that she knew he hadn't. Slowly, she opened her eyes and stared at the window; the curtains were drawn, and a breeze blew between the wall and the fabric.

The gold-red queen felt a firm paw rest on her shoulder. She felt as though the chill of ice could have been warmer than his touch. Zela turned herself, only to catch his egregious smirk. He took a pause before ruffling her head fur and speaking in a pleased tone: "Well done, Zelaphelia. I knew with just a little push, you would be able to do it." His smirk seemed to turn into a smile, one that held decipherable, false love.

Zela glared at him coldly, trying to hold back the tears forming in her eyes. "I didn't do it for you." She spat in a cracked voice. The indicator of how faltered her emotions were made it more difficult to hold back the tears. "I did it for them."

He laughed sardonically, "Of course. That's why you hurt Tugger."

"You forced me too…" she reminded bitterly. She couldn't get the image of Tugger's hurt eyes out of her head. After everything they had been through, she wasn't surprised if he never talked to her again…

Macavity dismissed the statement and walked further into his den. "You still did it, and seemed to use that ferocious state of your power in doing so." He gained his smirk back. "You'll need to use your powers for me sooner or later, which is the only time I'll ever permit you to use them."

The gold-red queen nodded, not really paying attention to him much. They were just statements she had heard before. His words still were still as sharp and callous as they said they were, yet why could she still detect something almost… fatherly in his tone? Not just Macavity's dark resonance, but perhaps a deeper level to her father. Though Zela pushed away the thought, she kept it in the back of her mind. "I want to see Jerrie and Teazer." She said. It came out sounding more like a request than a negotiation.

Macavity gave her a bitter snicker. "I don't think so, darling Zela. I'm in danger of losing you if you know where they are."

Zela's brow furrowed, but she had expected the answer. "Can I at least not have to be chaperoned like a damn kit?" she offered, but sounding more irritated.

He smiled, seeming to be amused the comment. He nodded slightly, acting as if he expected the question and she was a small kitten that had asked something interesting. "Very well, you won't need an escort in the Warehouse, however, there are still several restricted areas, and you still need to check in with your superiors."

She nodded, finding it a decent compromise. "Fine by me."

Macavity nodded agreeably and sighed tiredly. "Go back to the Cells. I'll be calling for you soon."

Zela didn't give him anything in response, and didn't stay long enough for him to call her on it. The gold-red queen rushed out of the den and sprinted down the halls, unable to stop the tears from flowing now…

~^..^~

Marceth could see that the end of the week was coming as the sun sunk closer to the horizon. He rarely seemed to watch the sunset, but his new work schedule seemed to take up all his time. This made him appreciate any time he had for himself. Most of his day consisted of watching Zela train, sleep, eat, or hunt. In fact, his entire job was centered over her now. Yet, was it strange to find that any time she came back with him to the Cells she was as exhausted as ever? Marceth was beginning to think maybe the boss was working her too much, not that he would have much say in what Macavity forced her to do.

The tortoiseshell tom rose to his feet and felt his brow crinkle in guilt. He knew he wanted to help her, and yet his loyalty was to the ginger tom. And on the Hidden Paw's bad side was not a place a mere henchcat wanted to be. All he could do for Zela now was be there for her; if she wanted him there at all, that was.

Suddenly, as if Everlasting Cat had heard his thoughts, there was a soft knock on the door. "Marceth?" a small voice whimpered.

He blinked up and turned around to stare at the door. It looked as old and chipped as before, yet why did the door have more liveliness to it when someone wasn't shouting through it? There was another knock. Marcetheus didn't hesitate to walk over and unlock the door. When he opened it, a half-sobbing Zelaphelia had her arms crossed and was looking up at him with the saddest eyes he'd ever seen.

Before he even said anything, the gold-red queen immediately clasped onto him in an embrace. He stared at the female that was crying into his chest, but gradually pulled her into the hug and gently shut the door behind her. He suddenly felt very sorry for Zela, and couldn't understand why Macavity would hurt her so badly. She seemed to have sunk and become heavier, which inclined the tortoiseshell henchcat to gently drag her into her cell, but as he sat her down next to the wall, he couldn't help but sit down with her; part of the reason being that she refused to let go of him.

"I'm such an idiot!" she sobbed into his chest, though the words came out muffled, and partially illegible, so instead they came out like "Um sut en idiod!"

Still, he was able to make them out. He knew his job as a henchcat was to watch Zela, but that didn't mean he couldn't at least try to comfort her. "No you're not…" he said back softly.

Her sobbing face leaned up to look at him. "He told me to hurt them and I listened!" she blubbered, "What kind of imbecile listens to that horrible tom?"

Marceth chuckled quietly, realizing that she was implying the same insult to him and his family. Zela suddenly stared at him as if she had read his mind. "I… I didn't mean it like that…" she sniffed.

He nodded his head and hugged her again. "It's okay… I understand. I know you're going through a lot, and these probably aren't the best conditions for you to be in. But… please don't laugh when I say this, but you do have a friend here… if you ever need me. I promise."

The gold-red female stared at him, somehow looking entranced by his words. She suddenly leaned up and kept staring at him with a look that almost convinced him that his words had touched her. "D-do you really mean that?" she asked him.

He nodded quickly. "Of course I…" He paused and trailed off as he was ensnared and engulfed into the mist of violet in her eyes. The gold frame and swirls coiled around him and seemed to pull him deeper and deeper into her rich, dark eyes. Somehow, he knew that the bait was a feeling he hadn't felt before, and she seemed captured by the same trance. Not thinking clearly, Marcetheus cupped the gold-red queen's chin and kissed her deeply.

He deemed it crazy the moment he did it, figuring he'd get clawed in the face again, yet to his surprise, she didn't pull away. In fact, he felt her lips slowly kiss him back. He couldn't keep a firm grip of reality over the warm sensation that bloomed inside of him as he kissed her again. He held the other side of her face with his other paw and pulled them closer together. Both their eyes had closed as Zela began to kiss him just as deeply. She wrapped her paws around his waist, and he could feel his paws running through the fur over her face and around her head fur. He pressed himself close to her and almost forgot himself. Almost.

It wasn't until Zela pulled away that he remembered the position he was in. "Stop." She murmured, putting a paw on his chest. "Stop…"

He opened his eyes and looked at her. If he wasn't mistaken, she seemed ashamed. Finally, she looked up at him. "I can't do this…"

Marcetheus sighed quietly and dropped his paws from her face. He knew he was getting carried away. "I know … I'm sorry."

"It's… it's not you." She assured. "It's just that… there's someone else that's at the Junkyard… I hope."

His gold eyes seem to light up. "You hope?" He was trying to keep his tone low, trying not to sound hinting at all.

Zela didn't seem to notice his attempt. "I… attacked him today…" she explained quietly, "He was…special." The gold-red queen snorted quietly, "Thinks he's Everlasting Cat's gift to queens, but… he really cares about me… though I doubt he will after what happened…"

Marceth nodded quietly, but then dared to glance down at her. "Do you still…" he bit his lip, "care about him?"

Zelaphelia hesitated momentarily before nodding. "I do."

"Do you… love him?"

She took a longer pause this time. "I… I don't know…" she said quietly. Her knees were pressed up to her chest as she leaned forward, looking as if she was pondering the question more.

Marceth tried to keep himself calm a little, and tried not to act as if the words made him somehow hopeful. But as he put a paw on her shoulder, he realized that he was keeping that feeling somehow deep inside of him. Why was he thinking this way over the boss's daughter? Not only a day ago, she wouldn't have hesitated to rip his head off, and now… why were things so different? He felt so deeply charmed by this one queen he had spent merely a week with. Zelaphelia was still the most spirited queen he had met, but the feeling that was pushing through his chest was somehow compelling him closer to her. The tortoiseshell tom began wondering if that was normal.

He quickly realized Zela had fallen asleep on his shoulder. He felt the skin under his fur blush a bright red, but he tried not to let it affect him. Instead, he decided to enjoy the moment he had with the beautiful gold-red queen, and would ponder the strange feeling another time…

~^..^~


	22. Insanity Takes Its Toll

_[Marceth]He quickly realized Zela had fallen asleep on his shoulder. He felt the skin under his fur blush a bright red, but he tried not to let it affect him. Instead, he decided to enjoy the moment he had with the beautiful gold-red queen, and would ponder the strange feeling another time…_

_~^..^~_

Two days never seemed to go by so slowly, especially after a weekend of long rain and fog. One could almost mistake the cold for an early winter, yet the cold eventually past, still leaving the effects of the moisture and stuffiness. The Junkyard was rotting away by the sudden chill. Scrap wood that hadn't been coated with polyurethane was rotting away. And most of the Junkyard fence was worn through from rust. Needless to say, things weren't looking good, and not just do to the weather.

Tugger rested over by the archway that was also the entrance he used during the ball. He calmly rewrapped gauze around his injured arm, though the bleeding had stopped the day before. That didn't hurt as much as the betrayal that was plastered in his mind, replaying over and over as if it were the restless city of London itself. He smoothed his paw over the scab on his cheek, trying to forget the dreadful memory that came with it, along with it ruining the light that normally would have reflected perfectly on his jaw line, but that was a different problem entirely.

What shocked him was that Zela was the one to give him the scrape in the first place. Had he made her _that _mad in their last conversation that, not only would she not speak to him, she would attack him also? The Maine Coon was too confused and degraded to really think of anything else. He simply finished his poor, medical handy-work, and got back up with the color in his face looking pale and sad. The Curious Cat seemed to have lost a piece of himself.

As he stood up out of his den, he felt that he was living in ruins. Screams of agony could be heard across the clearing from the medical den. One would start to think this place as an insane asylum instead of the home of the Jellicles. One would also think that the Rum Tum Tugger would be ashamed of his home now, but even a prideful tom like himself could sense the discord among his family. The Maine Coon caught sight of his brother, somberly slouching on the tire outside of the medical den.

Tugger had a look of pity in his eyes as he walked toward Munkustrap slowly. He saw the darkness that was instilled in most of the tabby's features. His elbows rested on his knees as his feet dangled off the side of the tire. His ears dropped depressively over his sagged face. In short, Munkus looked like a mess, but with good reason. Demeter had been admitted with the rest of the junkyard into the Medical Den. Obviously, 'Straps wasn't taking this too well. It was this thought that made Tugger wonder if his brother received any closure about this in the past few days, and although the Maine Coon hated playing therapist to anybody, Munkus was probably someone who needed it.

"Hey," Tugger called, jumping up by the silver tabby, but his brother made no sudden movements besides a glance of the eyes.

"Hey, Tug…" he greeted quietly, his chin resting under both paws.

Tugger watched his brother, and it seemed strange not to see the alertness in his eyes. "…How's Deme doing?"

Munkus glanced at him again. "Infected," he mumbled. The sadness in his tone was so obvious that it almost made Tugger sad himself.

"…I guess no one else is getting any better…" he stated awkwardly.

The silver tabby leaned up with a sour look, "Tugger, don't you have something better to do?"

"Not really," Tugger answered flatly, pretending the question wasn't rhetorical, "The whole tribe is being crammed into that den, and Straps, don't be so annoyed, I'm only here to see how you were doing."

The silver tabby's eyes were lambent in sudden anger and annoyance, though it was never his personality to lash out on anyone; only to be stern and stressed. "Well… obviously, I'm not doing fine…"

He quickly settled back and glanced at the Curious Cat several times. Tugger sat there, uncertain of what to say that would be comforting. He wasn't the comforting type of tom for other toms. Usually, that would be an older queen's job, but knowing the circumstances, he was at least trying to be a supportive brother. "Look, Munk," he started, "What would it take to convince you that Deme and the others are going to be fine?"

The silver tabby snorted bitterly, "What's suddenly got you in a more positive mood, Tugger? ...Well, actually you'd probably be the only one I'd expect to be lively right now…"

Tugger rolled his eyes, "I just think there's a better way of handling your… moodiness."

"How am I supposed to handle my 'moodiness'?" his brother asked, slightly in a tone of mockery. "Both my daughters, one which is pregnant, might I add, are watching the tribe magician research himself to death while being exposed to a disease which is raging and practically infecting every Jellicle in the Junkyard! My step-daughter's turned against her tribe, her mother-my _mate_, is now terribly sick, and to top it all off, I can't even go in there because I might just get infected, and Jelly doesn't want me to take that risk… And now, all I can depend on is our medical queen's treatments and the _possibility_ that my son-in-law will find a cure to this Everlasting-blessed disease!" The silver tabby leaned down again after the reciting of his problems to his brother. Though he looked more troubled now, Tugger noticed that maybe getting that all off his chest made him a little more relaxed. Munkustrap looked back at his brother. "Am I a terrible leader?" he asked, turning his head back down.

Tugger quickly shook his head. "Nah, you just don't know what to do yet. It'll come to you, bro. It always does. Just like dad."

"Dad… yeah…" Munkustrap sighed again and looked forward. "We could use his wisdom right now…" he mused.

Tugger shrugged, "Maybe we'll get it from you instead of him this time."

Munkustrap paused and looked at the Maine Coon again. Tugger was hoping that this had somehow encouraged his brother. Maybe he'd get back on his feet and figure out what to do next. Before the silver tabby could open his mouth again, a tortured scream, almost louder and more formidable than any of the others, ran through the Junkyard in a high, screechy tone.

Both brothers stood up simultaneously and headed for the source of the ear-piercing sound, which not-too-surprisingly, was in the Medical Den. As they entered in, they saw a few pale, tragic faces looking up in the center of the room. There laid Jellylorum, twitching uncontrollably. She stared around at every pair of eyes, seeming afraid, helpless, and barely recognizable.

Munkustrap ran his paw through his headfur and shook his head. "Heavyside, no… please, please no… Not our only medic…"

~^..^~

Macavity paced restlessly in his den as he watched Zelaphelia fight with Jezabella; a physical battle, of course, but one that would prove to him that her strength was growing. He observed every move she made, from her swinging of her claws, to her maneuver of swinging her leg around to trip her opponent, and also her dodging blocks. All-in-all, she was a decent fighter, and was able to pin the Tokinese queen to the ground. But obviously, Macavity made a few mental notes of her mistakes. The gold-red queen panted heavily and looked up at her father for his approval, of course with dullness in her eyes. He frowned at her. "Sloppy." He stated.

Zela stared at him, suddenly looking angered and in complete disbelief. "Sloppy?" Macavity rolled his eyes and stepped forward, scowling at Jeza, who was sitting on the ground. "Yes, Zelaphelia, sloppy," He clutched at her wrist and displayed her paw between them. "Every time you throw your claws around near the face, you pause just to see if you've connected. If Jezabella was anywhere near a decent opponent, your paw would be sprained." He threw her paw back down. But Zela's hateful eyes didn't move from her father's face.

He gave her a scowl, which in turn made her look away. "And another thing, you seem to get a little too…distracted." Before she looked up, the ginger tom swung his leg under her knees. She let out a distressed, surprised cry and fell to the ground with a thump. Macavity gave a small smirk as she stared up at him with a fierce glare. "Work on that as well. Finally, you have the little habit of turning your back to your opponent." He put his foot on her spine, and put pressure on it. Zela gave out a small whimper. "Never let that happen again." He snarled, "You never turn your back to your opponent, or else, you'll be dead before the duel barely begins. Understand?"

Zela sighed deeply and stared at the floor. "I understand…" Macavity raised an eyebrow at her, and put a little more pressure on her back. He could tell her jaw was clenching. "…Father."

The ginger tom smirked in satisfaction. He lifted his foot from his daughter's back and leaned down to ruffle her head fur. "That's my girl…" he murmured with a pleased grin on his face. As soon as he finished petting her with his false encouragement, the ginger tom stood up straight and walked back to his chair, "We'll work on your form tomorrow. Until then, get some rest, and come at the same time." He glanced at Jezabella and scowled again. "Get up and get out of my sight. You have other trainees to attend to." The Tokinese queen hesitated before quickly standing up and heading toward the door.

Honestly, she was getting annoyingly comfortable around him, which he knew he'd have to take care of eventually. For now, he would restrain the urge until he could talk to Jeza in private. Macavity glanced back at Zelaphelia, who was still waiting to be excused from his den. He smirked slightly, liking that she was keeping the rules in mind. "How is Griddlebone doing?" he asked with a jeering tone in his voice.

The gold-red queen's jaw clenched again and kept her eyes glued to the floor. "She's been getting better…" she said quietly.

He nodded quickly. "You talk to her often, then?"

Zela looked up at him subtly, but then looked back at the ground. "Sometimes... Marceth usually helps to take care of her…"

He raised an eyebrow. "Marceth… ah, yes, the guard in the cells…" the ginger tom suppressed a chuckle, "And how is my guard-tom treating my protégé, hm?"

Zelaphelia's eyes narrowed on her father as she took a deep breath. "Fine…" she mumbled. Macavity tilted his head to the side, somewhat suspicious of her disdain, but decided to drop the subject before he got bored of it.

"Hm… A report like that means well for him… Be sure he knows to talk to me before the night after tomorrow, understand?"

This time, it was Zela's turn to give the curious look, but instead of questioning him, the gold-red queen nodded and started backing away. Macavity sighed. "Go," he said flatly, "I'll see you in the morning."

Without any hesitance, Zelaphelia swiftly turned around and hurried out of the door. He silently decided to pardon the fact she gave him no departing word. Jezabella hadn't either. The good part about being the boss was that he had the jurisdiction on who received what punishment. That made his day just a little more entertaining.

With a deep breath, Macavity watched his daughter walk out, and was about to get ready for some rest himself. That was until another pathetic messenger henchcat came into his den, unannounced. He growled angrily and unsheathed his claws. "This better be good." He said in a dangerously quiet tone.

The henchcat stared at him with a look of fear in his eyes. Surprisingly, this one was able to stand up straight and at least appear to have a spine in his presence. "We've been spying by the borders of London, as you ordered, Sir."

Macavity scowled, "It'd be best you don't reiterate what I already know. What did you find?"

The henchcat glanced at him, but then just looked back down at his feet awkwardly. "The Leader of the Jellicles has returned, Sir; Old Deuteronomy. He's traveling through the city as we speak."

The ginger tom slightly raised an eyebrow as he thought over this information. Last winter, he heard that the old dust bunny left the tribe again, and he knew it would be much to his advantage to know when he appeared again. Now that he was informed that dear ol' dad had returned once more, a wicked plan was working through the Napoleon of Crime's head.

He swiftly turned over to his closet to grab his silver case. He clicked it open, and took out a vial of the black toxin. After suctioning the liquid into a syringe, the ginger tom held it up to the light, smirking delightedly. "Why not give the old tumbleweed a greeting, hm?"

~^..^~

Zelaphelia wandered down the hall with a few uncertain thoughts in her head. She wasn't sure why, but as she passed from shadow to light every few meters, she was thinking over her stay with her father. There were a few things to love and hate about the Warehouse now, especially when forced to lodge for over a week. Steadily, the good things were outweighing the bad. She had her old friends here, Griddlebone being one of them. The Persian queen was slowly regaining health and Zela had been speaking to her often. She still had a few old friends around, including Celestica.

Celestica was an older Siamese queen who was the Hidden Paw's medical cat for henchcats and sometimes for him as well, if his injuries proved too great for him to heal magically. She had talked to her once before, only to find out that there were only two queens that she knew before that was no longer there. Cybil, a grey-blue queen, had been sent away to another hideout, simply because she was getting to be annoying to the ginger tom, and was no longer interesting. And the other was Ladonna, a French black and white queen. It was only a matter of time until Macavity demoted her to a simple thief. She had been killed by opposing gangs when she was forced on a mission.

When she was told all this, Zela was reminded of Griddlebone's fate. She was reminded where all of the queens ended. Cybil was gone, Ladonna was dead, Griddlebone was injured, and Jezabella was a high-ranking teacher of henchcats. Of course, Celestica was still in her position as a medical queen. In the end, all the privileged queens Zela had met were separated and were only given their positions by their skills. It was simply favoring his employees by how they were labeled.

Perhaps that was reminding her of the negative things keeping her here. Her father's cruelty and obsession with power was what reminded her that she was no better than one of his favored henchcats. It killed the feeling of pride she had when she appeared to be improving her fighting skills, not that she liked fighting for her father, but she knew it was a good trade to have. Heavyside knew that she needed the training if she ever got out of this place. With a deep and depressed sigh, the gold-red queen hurried back to the cells.

Walking down the stairs, she paused after awhile, unsure if she wanted to face Marceth again. _Everlasting Cat, I can't believe I let him kiss me…and let myself kiss him back… _She wasn't sure what she was thinking at that moment of weakness. In a short week, she had spent night and day with him, and it felt like in every moment, she knew him a little better. The gold-red queen growled in frustration. What was wrong with her? Zela loved Tugger, didn't she? It was why she stopped Marceth from doing anything further with her… yet why couldn't she say that she loved Tugger? After a year of wondering if he was alright and if he was thinking about her, she was having her own doubts in simply one moment of vulnerability.

Yet why did she keep thinking that Tugger cared? In their last conversation, he insulted her and in the end, told that she should just run away. Not to mention, their last encounter had been a fight. What good was that relationship? When he probably didn't want anything to do with her? But then there was Marceth, who was much different from Tugger. He wasn't flirtatious and prideful. He had a strong, logical side, mostly. And he proved to her that he cared for, even respected her. Well, as much as a tom who had kissed her twice without her permission could respect her. Still, besides that, she still knew him to be sweet, and only somewhat confident. A large change compared to Tugger. Zela, feeling both confused by her relationship with Tugger and her feelings for Marceth, came close to the door, and lightly knocked on it. "Marceth." she called, "It's me."

In only a few moments, the lock on the door clicked and was opened with an eerie creak. The gold-red queen slightly smiled as the Tortoiseshell stood by the door. "Afternoon." He greeted with a grin. He let her inside, and opened her cell for her. Zela had been getting used to it now, and Marceth has gotten into the habit of leaving the cell door open, perhaps just to make her feel like she has more freedom than was perceived. After telling him about Macavity wanting to speak to him tomorrow, She sat up by the cement wall and looked at Marceth, whose gaze was near her, but not at her directly.

Feeling awkward and uncertain, the gold-red queen looked at the ground in front of him. "So… do you like this place?" she asked quietly. Zela felt his gaze finally go to her.

She glanced at him, merely to see his curious expression. "Um… yeah, I guess you could say that… I mean, it's not the Heavyside Layer, but it's my home…"

Zela nodded. "…Griddlebone's told me that you spoke to her when she woke up. And that you know a lot about me now…"

Marceth blinked at her, giving her a sheepish smile, "Um… yeah… I suppose that's right…"

"I'm not mad or anything, but then at least you know that this used to be my home too…"

Marceth nodded, taking a pause. "Did _you_ like it here?" he asked curiously.

Zela's gaze stayed frozen on him as she thought over her answer. She could have said a thousand things, but in the end, she emitted one statement. "I used to." Her honest answer made his eyebrow rise in what appeared to be surprise.

"Used to?"

"I don't enjoy what my father does, Marceth." She replied quickly, "He does dirty business. He hurts innocent cats. He has manipulated cats to do his work, and ignores any moral bone that could be found in his body. I don't know why anyone would want to work for him. I just found out that I only have one friend left here, and she's been tortured for who knows how long."

Marceth's face was blank as she explained her reasons for hating the Warehouse. His patch of auburn twisted in some interest. "You know, Zela, some of us don't want to be here. We were born into his services, and we'll live here for good. There's nothing we can do for ourselves."

Zela stood up and walked outside of her cell. She stood next to the cell door and stared at him with her face only showing seriousness. "So what are you, Marceth? Are you forced to stay here, or are you doing all this willingly?"

He opened his mouth quickly, but he didn't say anything. In fact, it took him almost a full minute to make any sort of sound. "Zela…" he mumbled, "I'm only here because my parents lived here. I doubt much will change in my lifetime, unless I can prove myself to Macavity and moved up in ranks."

The gold-red female shuddered and looked away from him."Of course, getting the better dens, being able to be with good henchqueens, gaining 'the boss's' respect, being given all the good missions. I may have not been here long, but I can listen to the whispers. Is that what you're about? You want this place to respect you? You want all that's for the best of the best?"

The Tortoiseshell henchcat stood up and walked over to her. "No, Zela," he answered quite sternly, and then giving a rough sigh. "I'm not greedy like the toms upstairs. Do I want respect? Of course, who doesn't? But the material things that Macavity can offer aren't exactly what I want in my life. If I had gotten a better position, then maybe I would have been happier, but now I see it's more of a blessing than I realized."

"More of a blessing?" she asked, staring at him curiously, "I'm told guardtoms are some of the lowest ranks in the Warehouse."

"Maybe so, but I wouldn't have met you, and learned about who my boss really is, and who his daughter is either."

Suddenly, the gold–red queen's violet eyes grew large. "You… you do know about that? I wasn't sure if he told you, or if you had figured it out, or-"

"Griddlebone told me." He interrupted. "She knows a lot about your life in the Warehouse."

Zela, somewhat shocked, looked down at her feet. "Does that bother you…" she muttered, "That you've… kissed the daughter of your boss?"

Marceth's actions were so sudden, that it took her a second to catch them. His paw had slammed up by the cell door and let it crash on the bars. He had cornered her in between the wall and his arm. He was staring at her with some darkness in his golden eyes. They allured Zela, but she somehow felt like she had more restraint on herself than Marceth had a few days ago. "Don't be teasing me because of that, Zela." He said, his tone sounding annoyed, but also laced in fear and a small detection of warmth. "If I regretted kissing you, I wouldn't be talking to you, you wouldn't be out of your cell, and I wouldn't be answering all these ridiculous questions! I wouldn't be asking all these ridiculous questions to you. I wouldn't be thinking these strange things, and feeling these strange feelings. I wouldn't be thinking of you every second that you enter into the same room. Ever since you came back on that mission… after that kiss… you're all that's been on my mind. I know I shouldn't feel this way, but I do."

Zela, completely shocked over what he said, was frozen in her shock, each word making her feel worse about even saying the words. Gently, as the tense moment passed through them, Marceth leaned up and turned his body partially away from her. "Now you know…" he whispered.

"Know what?" she said in a tone that was barely above a whisper, "That you and I… may have feelings for each other?"

He looked at her, his face looking tense, "You and I?" he repeated.

Very tentatively, she nodded. "The tom I was telling you about before? Well… I feel like… I don't know… I'm under some sort of notion that… he won't want me anymore if I ever got out of here… and that doesn't mean that I don't still think about him or care about him, nor does it mean that you're some sort of rebound, but… could you agree with me if I said that… we could care about each other?"

For some reason, he laughed, but not in a mocking way. He looked as though he were in disbelief. "Care for each other? But Zela, you know how I want to care about you now. I feel like I should have known you for years, and now… I think I do, even if it was just a few short stories about your life here."

His words eased into her carefully. As she thought over everything he told her, the gold-red female found herself growing exhausted. Maybe it was just by the conversation, or maybe she was now more confused than ever. "Marceth… I wish I could understand everything you're saying now… but I can't stop the fact that I still have uncertainty."

"I don't blame you. So do I. Having feelings for the boss's daughter may not get me up on the ranking list… but that doesn't mean I can't feel that way…"

Zela looked down as she tried to stop her knees from buckling. "I-… I'm really tired…"

After a long pause, Marceth looked at her with some sympathy, "Then you should go to sleep…"

Zela nodded, and moved back into her cell, but never took her eyes off Marceth. She decided to shut the cell door as she backed into the corner, and almost immediately fell asleep with thoughts of Marceth swarming through her.

~^..^~

Late summer never looked drearier. Especially to Old Deuteronomy, and he had seen his fair share of dreariness in London. Wandering by the empty sidewalks of a cloudy, smoggy afternoon, the Jellicle Leader had realized that he needed to start back to his tribe, almost sensing like they would need him soon. They would need his judgment. He kept feeling dark forces shifting through him, though. Perhaps it was the Hidden Paw, or perhaps it would add up to something much worse.

With a quiet sigh, the dust-grey tom walked passed an alley way, one he normally cut through as a short cut. It amazed him, seeing the memories through a dark alley. It was only a year ago he had found Zelaphelia in an old cardboard box. The thought of how far she had come made him happy, even if he hadn't seen her since she left the Junkyard. He was hoping to possibly see her on his travels around England, but unfortunately, he did not see her once, yet Macavity's spies were hidden in every direction. He wondered perhaps if he had found her or not.

Suddenly, a dark presence was in swarming around the Jellicle Leader's person. He stared ahead of him, but found his reactions were not fast enough. A sharp, stabbing pain dug deeply into his shoulder. The old tom let out a bellow before being pushed to the ground.

His eyes were wide as he felt an unstoppable pain spreading through his body. "Heavyside…" he breathed, gripping the palms of his paws so deeply that he could feel his dull claws draw blood. Unsure of what to do, Deuteronomy just stared around, only hearing an insidious chuckled echo around the alley. "Enjoy your little taste of the insanity, Tumbleweed…" a familiar, dark voice purred. "I'm sure the Jellicles will be pleased to see one of their elders dying… or at least I will…"

"Mac-a…" he barely got out before freezing completely in shock and pain. The darkness overwhelmed him as the ginger tom stormed away in his view, looking undoubtedly pleased with himself…

~^..^~

**A/N: So, Summer felt very guilty about finding it had been over a month since her last update, so she worked all night so her wonderful readers could have a Christmas Present. And Summer's not sure why she's writing in third person now, but she's going to stop now…**

**If you haven't seen my new profile picture, it's my colored sketch of Zelaphelia. ;)**


	23. Hopeful Epiphanies

_"Enjoy your little taste of the insanity, Tumbleweed…" a familiar, dark voice purred."I'm sure the Jellicles will be pleased to see one of their elders dying… or at least I will…"_

_"Mac-a…" he barely got out before freezing completely in shock and pain. The darkness overwhelmed him as the ginger tom stormed away in his view, looking undoubtedly pleased with himself…_

~^..^~

A morning air came over the once- queen kits of the Junkyard. Victoria kept feeling kicks in her stomach, and she was still deciding if it was still a blessing or was just getting annoying. She wasn't trying to be cruel at all, but being with kits was just exhausting. When she woke up in the morning, or in the middle of the night, she would throw up; she was fatigued most of the day; her muscles ached; the usual mouse became a bland meal, as well as fish and any other food she could find around the junkyard; and to top it all off, she was pregnant while a disease raged over the Junkyard. Everything that was happening became less annoying and more nerve-racking. Mistoffelees was working every day, and also wouldn't let her out of his sight.

He had been fairly paranoid over her catching the toxin. Every time she vomited or felt dreadful, he wanted to take blood samples to make sure she wasn't infected. Luckily, Jelly stopped him, and insisted it was simply from the pregnancy. That had helped him worry less, but now that the light tabby was being put on barely sufficient treatments for this toxin, she felt like things would be getting worse fairly soon. The white queen took a deep breath as she stretched herself out on the TSE 1 car next to Electra. Jemima was sitting in the front seat, and was curled up in a ball tiredly.

The white queen sighed contently as she laid a paw over her bulging stomach. "Jemmi, how is Tumble doing?"

The red and black queen looked up and bit her lip. "As well as the others…" she mumbled, looking saddened by the subject. Tumblebrutus and Jemima were together beforehand, but now that he was sick, it brought her into a depressive state. "I'm doing my best, as is Misto and the twins, but they're getting worn out by trying to use their healing powers against this virus. It's just too much for them."

Electra sighed quietly and looked down. "This is terrible…Even dad's crestfallen!"

Victoria's lips curled back. "To be fair, dad acts like that a lot anyway."

The russet-colored queen turned to her sister with a raised eyebrow. "No, Vic, Dad's never crestfallen, he's stressed. There's a difference."

"Still," Jemima said gently, "Bad things are happening to the tribe, and it doesn't take a genius to figure why that is."

Electra scoffed, "Macavity, obviously."

Victoria sighed, "And the kicker is that one of our own is helping him…"

"Hey! We can't say for certain what going on at the Warehouse with Zela." Electra scorned with a sour look. Victoria wasn't sure why, but her little sister always seemed to have a stronger faith in the goodness of others. She wondered in what point in her life_ she_ lost faith in her fellow felines.

The white queen sighed, "Too many lives are lost already because of the trust we had in others… I wish my kits would be born in a better time…"

Jemima slightly smiled at her friend. "Things can't stay bad, Vic. When we hit rock bottom, the only way to go is up."

Victoria looked down at her stomach, silently listening to her friend's words. Suddenly, Munkustrap came running towards them, appearing panicked. Electra leaned up off the TSE 1. "Daddy? What's going on?"

Munkustrap shook his head, looking frantic. "Your Grandfather," He breathed, "…Old Deuteronomy, he's hurt. I was out bordering London, and he was unconscious in an alley. I need someone to come with me to help me bring him back."

Electra stood up immediately and jumped up off the car's hood. "I'll help you, Dad," She volunteered.

Munkustrap nodded, "Thank you, El. Come, we have to find a few others."

Electra and Munkustrap quickly paced away to search for volunteers, leaving the other two queens with worry and anxiety. Victoria gently turned her head over to Jemima and stared at her with her jaw agape. "Jem… have we hit rock bottom yet?"

Jemima shook her head. "I don't see how we could get any lower…"

The white queen covered half her face with her paw, and just sat there in silence. She knew that this was going to put Misto over the edge when he found out. If their leader was in danger, he would be more stressed than ever. _Well… better he hear it from me than someone else… _she thought calmly, quickly sitting up off the car's hood and scurrying away carefully to find her mate…

~^..^~

From Demeter's view, the room was still spinning. Between the hourly ritual of vomiting and coughing up specks of blood on her bed sheets, the gold queen lost track of her thoughts in an uprooted silence. She heard the pain of the patients that were beside her, whom she could not identify since she came in. During these conscious spells, she tried closing her eyes, and often got lost into the darkest of nightmares. She felt a force that was stronger than anything she had ever encounter gradually taking hold of her; a force that had been stronger than the love of her mate, and the anger that was built between their families.

Slowly, this force was squeezing the life out of her, reigning terror within her body, and in the bodies of the ones she loved. Every thought felt pulsing and rhythmic, yet still had a twinge of pain as the thoughts traveled through her sore head. Her aching muscles were too weakened to move, and the surface of her flesh was blanketed in a chill that wouldn't be warmed, not even when she felt the tense paw of her mate holding her. However, he was not holding her this time. She couldn't sense her mate anywhere near him. With her eyes shut, Demeter could only listen to the moans of pain that were cried throughout the medical den. She wished she didn't have a conscious mind of what was going on. She always heard the misery Macavity had brought upon them. From what she heard now, there was no one left to treat the patients. Tantomile and Coricopat had been trying to help, but their strength in healing had been weakening, even when they were just trying to help a dying Plato.

Suddenly, a presence sat beside her. She squirmed away slightly, but the cat took her paw. As soon as she felt the warmth, the gold queen relaxed, slowly opening her eyes to the tired face of her mate. '"Dem..." he whispered.

The gold queen said nothing. Her voice couldn't find the strength anymore. She just kept her eyes open, and tried to smile at her mate, though it barely showed. She mouthed the word, "Hi."

Munkustrap's face was covered over with a bandana, being used as a makeshift mask. Yet she could still faintly see his eyes smiling, which was enough of an expression to make the gold queen feel warmer inside. She wondered if this was what it was supposed to be like on the verge of death. She always pictured herself dying at an old age somewhere before or after her mate went to Heavyside as well. Yet, Demeter never thought about dying at her age, even after her experiences with Macavity. The gold queen inhaled deeply and lightly grasped her mate's paw, yet her voice was sore, so she didn't say anything else to him.

Munk was rubbing his paw on her palm. She could see through that mask that he was wearing, that he was really hiding some pain on his face. She groaned quietly as she gripped his paw tighter and a stroke of pain traveled through her. She could tell by his movements that he wanted to hug her. He looked down at her face, and the gold queen mustered her strength to gently smile at him, trying to prove that she was okay. He obviously did not believe it.

"Hi, Love…" he whispered in a muffled tone. His voice sound dry and cracked, as if he had seen life sucked out of a body. She inhaled deeply and stroked his paw. It felt terrible to know that she could hold his paw and be near him, yet every moment he spent with her was another way to risk his life. The silver tabby sighed quietly. "Darling… I didn't want to be the one to tell you this, but Zela isn't coming back."

Demeter stared at him, her heart pounding. It was clear to him, simply by her expression that he had panicked her. "She's alive, I think… but Dem… Teazer saw her training with henchcats…and she said that Macavity himself had reassured her of…Zela… Well…Dem, I wouldn't say it unless I saw it with my own eyes, but right now… there's nothing else I can do….please, please forgive me, love… I love her as much as you do, and I couldn't be sorrier about anything… Please forgive me…"

He stared at her, and all Deme could see was torture in pain in his dull, blue eyes. Yet what could she do? She was still trying to work out her emotions now. What was she feeling though? Hurt perhaps? That her mate was insinuating that she would never get her daughter back? Was she angry that he could do nothing about it?

The gold queen found herself wanting to sooth him, make him feel as though it wasn't his fault, and never was. And it was in that moment, she realized that she had been a source of his stress. She told him how much she hated him for everything that he had done, and accused him of tearing their family apart. All this time when she should have been helping him and supporting her mate, she had been contributing to his suffering.

With guilt and sadness in her, the gold queen just held his paw and tried to smile, mouthing the words, 'I love you' to him. What made her happy again was seeing his eyes smile. They quickly moved away from her and went to their paws. Munk sighed quietly and shook his head. "I love you too, Dem. More than anything… and I could never lose you… but constantly, all I can think about are the things that can happen now… Every time I come into this room, I see the tortured faces, and I keep wondering if there was anything I could have done to prevent it… but there's nothing I can do…" He inhaled deeply and shook his head, "… Deme…. I keep having horror stories running through my head… about the Junkyard going up in flames and everyone dying of this horrible sickness… Everlasting Cat, Dem… every night this week, I have a nightmare that I'm going to lose someone I love… I don't know what to do, Deme… I wish you were well enough where you could help me… but I know I have to be the one to help you now…"

Demeter slightly frowned, knowing he was blaming himself again. Even when most of what had happened was done by Macavity. She gently shook her head and patted his paw. She wasn't sure what she could tell to him. She tried to empathize for his pain, and just lightly nuzzled his paw, mouthing over and over, "I love you."

And the gold queen finally felt complete when she finally saw him mouth back: "I love you too." It felt like a confirmation of their hope. That's why she knew she couldn't die, not when he needed her so much. They may have been losing their home, piece by piece, but they had hope.

~^..^~

Misto sat, staring into the lenses of his makeshift microscope. His energy was somewhat low, but not enough to start becoming Quaxo again. He wanted to think he was feeling even more determined, but in reality, he could feel the pressure caving in on him. His tribe medic was now sick. The mystic twins could no longer help, for their healing powers weren't strong enough. They were able to stabilize Plato, but the rest of the tribe was fading fast. The tuxedo tom had been relentless day and night, taking small breaks, only to go back into his work immediately. He'd used up his weeks to study what this disease was, but there was a piece missing. Something so important, that it was preventing him to solve this whole mystery.

"Misto?"

Misto's left ear was pinned on his skull as he sensed the presence of his mate in the room. He inhaled deeply as he leaned up and pushed a magnifying glass away from him, which had been attached to wires that leaned down and positioned perfectly over several different types of lenses that magnified his view of the blood samples. The tuxedo tom spun around in his chair as both his eyebrows lifted to Victoria. She stood there was a concerned face. "Mist…. I'm really sorry that I have to be the one to say this, but…" she took a deep breath, and Misto just stared at her silently before she spoke again, "Munk found Deuteronomy unconscious on the alleyway… he has… puncture marks on his back… and he hasn't woken up, no matter what we tried to use…Munk thinks that…" The white queen paused and just moved her gaze down as she entered further into the room.

Misto frowned deeply as he sat back in his chair and brushed his paw through his head-fur in disbelief. "Everlasting Cat, help us…" he muttered, feeling his blood run cold at the latest victim of this toxin. "I…. I guess I'll have to check him out later…"

He could feel Victoria's eyes on him as he turned back around to his work. Dammit, this wasn't getting him anywhere. No matter what he tried to add to the tainted blood samples he had retrieved, nothing would eat away at the poison. He had tried several medical cures that Jelly commonly used whenever any Jellicle got sick. Misto had found treatments that at least slowed the process and kept everyone in the medical den alive. It seemed as though no matter what alternative he took; whichever direction he decided to go in, he always ended taking several steps back to the beginning. Did Everlasting Cat just want them to die?

Victoria put her paw gently on his shoulder. He expected her to tell him to take a break, or encourage him, or even put more pressure on him. "Heavyside, Vic, I don't know why I'm doing this anymore…"

"You're not the only one…" she whispered. Misto turned his head sharply at her, surprised at the answer. His mate tried to smile, but failed, "Misto, you know that I'm worried about you…"

"And I'm worried about you!" he replied, his gaze traveling from her face, down to her swollen stomach. He placed his paw on it gently, but then just took it off and moved his gaze back to the magnifying glass.

Victoria sighed quietly and sat down next to him. "You don't need to be. I've been fine, even with the kits."

"Yeah, but that's because of magic." He pointed out, scribbling out a few notes of his.

Victoria blinked and nodded quietly in agreement, "True… your magic has helped…" she grinned a little and pointed down at her stomach, "As has theirs."

Misto stared down at her stomach, some disparage was visible on his face. "Yeah… I guess…" he muttered. He still wasn't sure if he trusted the magic that his kits possessed. Even if it was saving his mate now, it could possibly kill her in the future.

As the Tuxedo tom glanced up, he already saw that his mate had caught his look. Her brow furrowed at him as she leaned up. "Misto… maybe... you should take a longer break…. I don't want all this work to get to you."

Misto just shook his head and turned away from her. "I have to solve this. For you. For the Junkyard. Who else is going to help us, Vic?"

Victoria frowned slightly. "I know you want to help, but you need to stop swimming so deep and come to the surface to breathe. I'm… I'm almost afraid that this would kill you more than the virus would. With all this stress… I'm surprised that hasn't killed you already."

How was he supposed to explain all of this to her? He had a duty for the tribe; a duty to save their lives, and the lives of their unborn kits as well! "Vic, please don't start…" he mumbled, turning back to his work. "You can't possibly understand what this tribe is expecting of me."

Victoria sighed. "I expect something of you too, Misto. I need you to be the father of my kits. I expect you to take care of yourself too."

"What do you think I'm trying to do, Vic?" he said harshly. He hated that he was gaining a temper, but she just didn't understand!

The line on the white queen's brow grew deeper as she frowned at him. "Misto, you're acting like you have everything under control, and we both know that you don't!"

Misto just denigrated her statement. "I'm busy, Vic. Can you please go?"

His mate just ignored him, "You're treating this whole thing like your life doesn't matter! But you do matter, especially to me and our future family."

"Stop mentioning them!" he told her, again in his harsh tone, "I already have to help your dad take care of an entire tribe. I can't be worrying about our kits too, dammit!" Misto smashed his fist down in the lens glass he was using to conceal the infected blood. He felt the glass slicing through his skin, but he ignored the pain and kept his stern, angry glare at his mate.

As he stared at her, he saw the surprise and disappointment in her eyes. Her whole body had grown paler than usual as she just stared into his angered face. Misto finally had to let go of his hate of the conversation, and broke their stare from each other. "Sorry…" he murmured, lifting his paw, and taking out a small shard of glass that had stuck into his paw.

Victoria quickly stood up, moving her gaze down to her feet. She inhaled deeply, and moved her hand over to the small of her back. "I don't feel really good right now, okay…?"

Misto nodded quietly as the pain finally came to his conscious knowledge. He tucked his paw away behind his back and stood up off his chair and quickly walked over to her. "Okay, Vic… I'll see you tonight, okay? I promise."

Victoria looked at his face, her brow slowly alleviated as she nodded slightly. "Okay, sweetheart… I'm holding you on that…" They both smiled slightly, but the tuxedo tom eventually just turned away from her as soon as her attention turned towards the door. They didn't say any sort of exchange of good-bye for some reason. Perhaps they had gotten tired of trying to talk to each other, not with words, but simply with their eyes.

It didn't take him long to go back to his work, though he gave a distasteful groan when he saw the disaster mess that he had made with his fist. Not only was he bleeding all over the table, but his sample was ruined, as he needed to clean up all the broken glass. He leaned down to see if he could smooth away any of the mess, but as the blood of his paw trailed over the mark he made, he noticed that the tainted blood had seeped over his own. The tuxedo tom's eyes narrowed slightly on this curious sight, as he once against spotted the difference between the blood types of the disease and his own mystical blood. Separately, there were several differences, yet put together… they had some sort of reaction with each other. Munk leaned forward, grabbing the microscope with his blood paw and put an extra lens over the blood.

The reaction seemed to have a strange effect over each other. Not only did the blood mix, but his blood seemed to be eating parts of the infection. His brow furrowed as he leaned forward, taking a liquid cure out of its vial and poured a drop over the mixture. This gave it a much bigger reaction. As Mistoffelees leaned back, an epiphany came to him. With such a difference between the bloods, especially since his blood had once been infected, were mystics the answer?

He knew that mystics proved to be stronger by their metabolism. Maybe that was what he missed? It was the reason why Vitalee was still alive; the reason Giacomo throat had been slit instead of being injected like the other kits; the reason why he wasn't in one of those beds…With a sudden uplifted spirit, Mistoffelees quickly cleaned up his area, grabbing one of the shards of glass, and tore open the skin on his wrist. He allowed the blood to flow down his arm and into a test tube. He ignored the stinging pain over his arm, wrapping it over with gauze before attending his research. He knew it would only take a day now. One more day, and this nightmare may be over for them…

~^..^~

Mid-afternoon came to the Warehouse, but the sun still remain away from it. Yet that didn't seem to faze Marceth or Zela. Though the gold-red queen had explained that she now had more freedom around the Warehouse, they still found it to be a habit to stay down in the cells. It became a sanctuary for them. They could be away from the violence and darkness of the Warehouse. It amused the tortoiseshell henchcat when Zela pointed out how ironic it was that she'd rather stay in her cell with a guard as company rather than wander around freely.

That day, Marceth had stolen a deck of cards when he was roaming around during his break. They brought use of these by playing a few rounds of five-card draw poker, switched to 'Slap Jack', and then finally begun playing 'War.', all of which he had to teach to Zela.

Marceth grinned as they continued playing the latter for over an hour. "Okay, one, two, three, flip!"

She laid down a jack. He laid down a three.

Zela smiled chirpily, one of the first times he ever saw her do that, and quickly slid both cards towards her pile. Marceth's eyebrow rose further at her large pile of cards, and his pathetically mediocre pile.

He groaned, though he was still in a very good mood, despite being the loser of cards. "Okay, can we just say that we're done, since you have both the jokers?"

The gold-red queen laughed and nodded as she swiped up his cards and shuffled them. "Sure, whatever you want."

"I'm beginning to think that you take after your father's card skills…" Marceth commented, smirking slightly.

Her smile grew large and she just shrugged nonchalantly, though they both knew that she was just a little smug at that thought. There weren't many things that Zela could be proud of from her father's genes, but she seemed to enjoy the fact that she had an entertaining trait from him. "Then it will be even easier to beat you next time, won't it?"

They both shared a chuckle as she stacked up the cards in her paw and shuffled them, not as fast as he could have imagined the daughter of the Hidden Paw could handle cards. Yet it was still entertaining to watch. After a while, she sighed quietly, and put the cards down.

Marceth raised an eyebrow, and scooted an inch closer to her. "What's wrong?"

"… Nothing." She said simply, yet downheartedly. "…I was just thinking about how interesting War is… taking everything until there's nothing left… Only one side ends up with every card in the deck…"

Marceth blinked at her, not exactly sure what she was getting at, and then just took the deck of cards from her slowly. "Perhaps we should stop playing, Zel… before it makes you more upset."

Zela quietly looked back up at him before nodding. "Sure…" He looked into his eyes as he quickly set the cards behind him. Her face had gotten so close to his that he quickly had to pull himself away. He thought he would repeat the actions of their more… affectionate encounter. Then the gold-red queen's eyes widened. "Marceth… weren't you supposed to be meeting with Macavity?"

Marceth looked at her curiously before the realization came to him. His boss had wanted to see him today. "Shoot!" The tortoiseshell jumped to his feet, striding forward out of Zela's open cell.

Zela only took one moment to be a heel step away from him. "Do you want me to come with you, or something?" she asked, concern was overly present in her eyes, though she was trying to hide it.

Marceth thought about it before shaking his head. "No. He wants me, not both of us… You could come with me and wait outside the door."

The suggestion took a moment's passing before Zelaphelia just shook her head back, "My dad will know I'm there. I'd rather he not know that we seem to have a growing relationship at the moment… I don't want to know what he'd do."

Marceth raised an eyebrow. "You think he'd do something to me?"

"Or me…" she replied, looking down. "I'm not sure if he'd like the thought that we're…uh…"

It was strange to see that they didn't have a specific label of a relationship. Were they friends? Were they together? Or maybe they liked each other and just wouldn't admit it. Marceth just cleared his throat. "Yeah, I see…alright. I'll just go talk to him then."

Zela quickly took a step back and collected all the cards that had been spilled on the ground. Marceth watched her for a few moments before leaving the cells and walking back upstairs. Watching her all day and night was beginning to get to him, and he realized it too. Not like kissing her or building their relationship over a month could have made it obvious to him. But was it possible that their friendship was more than just mutual feelings of like? He didn't want to make it that way. He couldn't love the daughter of his boss. It was too absurd. It was out of his character. He was a henchcat and nothing more, trying to worm his way to the top like the rest of them. Marceth was constantly trying to accept that he was merely a pawn in Macavity's game.

Yet, even if he was a pawn, why couldn't he have the best life that an accomplice could have? What motive would his boss to keep him from having a queen by his side? His own small home outside of the Warehouse? His own success that didn't include the plans of the Hidden Paw? Marceth knew he'd have some luck. If it wasn't with Zela, then he would accept that as fate, but he wouldn't sit around and act as Macavity's guard everyday for the rest of his life. He knew he was better than that.

Finally, he came towards Macavity's den. As much as he didn't want to find out what his boss wanted him for, it would have been suicide to be insubordinate to Macavity. With a heavy sigh, the tortoiseshell tom knocked on the door of the den, until he heard the rough bark that allowed him entrance.

"You requested my presence, sir?" Marceth asked, watching the sulking ginger tom methodically sitting in a black leather chair, something the henchcats had often referred as 'a black hearted tom's throne.'

The ginger tom stayed silent for a moment, beckoning the young tom forward. Marceth slowly entered further in the den, yet stayed a good distance away from his boss. He tried to remember everything that Jezabella and the other superiors had warned him to do in the presence of the Hidden Paw. Don't come too close. Don't say too much. And only make eye contact when you speak to him.

"Marcetheus, correct?" he questioned in a sharp tone.

Marceth nodded quickly, diverting his eyes from the ginger tom, and tried ignoring his judging stair. He realized that this was the second time he was being evaluated by the Hidden Paw, but this time, he seemed to care less.

Macavity leaned up in his chair. "You're a good worker, or so I hear… Maybe it's strange of me to do this so soon, but… I'm promoting you, Marceth. You'll no longer be a guard down at the cells-"

"What?" Marceth couldn't stop the word from interrupting his boss. His face flushed and his heartbeat grew in pace, almost anticipating to get slashed in the throat.

Macavity's eyes narrowed on him, but he didn't move from his spot, to Marceth's relief. "Do not disrupt me." He hissed, and then continued in a more begrudging tone, "I'm sending you to harder work, as a… interrogator, you could say."

"An interrogator…" he repeated quietly, almost unable to believe the word. Henchcats referred to this job as being a torturer, and it was one of the most respected positions in the Warehouse. They were the toms that did the physical and mental torture. It amazed him, because only toms born with lesser supernatural abilities would get those jobs.

Macavity scowled, "You don't have a problem with that, do you?"

Marcetheus looked up at his boss, swallowing hard. He rubbed the sweat in his palm and took a half-step forward. As much as this job meant to him, the tortoiseshell tom was not ready to let go of his job. And there was only one reason why he would keep it. "If I may, sir… This promotion is… tremendous, to say the least," Marceth looked straight into his boss's eyes, though he was trying to pass off frightened for confidence. "Yet… there won't be any trainees ready to take over my job for a while now, and after all, there is only one prisoner that is staying there… Perhaps I could work two jobs, an interrogator at day, and guarding the cells at night."

Macavity's eyes narrowed on him further, staring at him with more judgment. Marceth hadn't really processed if the ginger tom liked innovating with his plans, but this was the only way he would still be able to talk to Zelaphelia without the risk of anyone else knowing about it. He needed to find out his feelings for her, and if she felt the same for him!

Finally, the ginger tom spoke, holding back no spite, "You have two days left with your regular duties… If you are able to keep up with yourself, we'll follow through with your little plan, considering I can't trust my daughter completely yet. When the time comes that I can, you'll train the next henchcat trainee to guard the cells. I'm expecting more prisoners there soon. Are we at an agreement, you pathetic negotiator?"

Marceth, despite the insult, felt very pleased with himself that he had stroke a deal with the Hidden Paw that didn't include any negative reciprocations. "Yes, Sir." He answered, rather proudly.

"Good." With a solemn nod, the ginger tom was about to raise his paw to wave him away, but he suddenly stopped. "…Just so you know, Marcetheus, I've sent for two agents of mine to come back to Headquarters here in London. Your parents, I believe? They should be coming tonight," He smirked, "In the late evening, in fact. I'll have to tell them of your… promotion."

Marceth's eyes grew large, words not being able to describe his shock of this news. His parents, coming home? But they had been out of his life since he was a kit! These were the cats he barely saw because of their agent jobs. What would they think of him when they got here? Proud that he had gotten promoted? Ashamed that he was still at the bottom for two more days? Macavity sent him away, leaving the tortoiseshell tom with the fear of meeting his mother and father again...

~^..^~

**A/N: Yet another slow update… PLEASE FORGIVE ME! But anyway, I've been brewing plot twisters for the future content of this story. I promise I won't be as slow as I have been. But just so my wonderful readers and reviewers know, the rating may change after this next chapter. O.o **

**Thanks again!**


	24. Friendships Don't Last

**OOC: So, do we remember way back in Demeter's Secret when this- ^~*~^ was deemed a separators of POVS and this- ~^..^~ was deemed for scene changes in the same POV? Well, since ^~*~^ won't show up anymore for some reason, Then this- =^..^= shall be the scene change instead! :)**

…_I've sent for two agents of mine to come back to Headquarters here in London. Your parents, I believe? They should be coming tonight"…_

_Marceth's eyes grew large, words not being able to describe his shock of this news. His parents, coming home? But they had been out of his life since he was a kit! These were the cats he barely saw because of their agent jobs. What would they think of him when they got here? Proud that he had gotten promoted? Ashamed that he was still at the bottom for two more days? Macavity sent him away, leaving the tortoiseshell tom with the fear of meeting his mother and father again..._

~^..^~

There were those horrible days where Rumpleteazer could have suffocated herself in the privacy of her empty den. All month, that was what had constantly been the mood. Her heart had sunk deep in her chest; her eyes were red and puffy from sobbing herself to sleep; she felt her whole body shatter into millions of pieces, and all she could do was stare up into space and pray that somehow, the wounds in her soul would heal.

Yet it was never enough. Her thoughts always refrained back to her dead mate. And with no one to help her, she had nothing. No emotional comfort. She seemed permanently inconsolable. Teazer wondered what anyone else would do after losing her mate though. If it had been Munk, perhaps he would be in the same state as her, only he would probably have several cats to help him through it. And what about Skimbleshanks? If Jenny got taken by the disease, what would happen? Mistoffelees? He wouldn't react much better than the others. Teazer could figure he was nervous about Victoria not surviving kitten birth. Truly, if the same thing had happened to another, they would act the same way she was at current.

Yet would anyone else know what it felt like to not know how their mate was killed? Or what their dying words were? Or if they felt pain? No, they would never know what she was reminded of each day. The only thing that could get the tiger-striped queen up in the morning was that she would never want to leave this world without Jerrie. But why did he leave her, then?

Perhaps for the first time in weeks since she was released from the Warehouse, Rumpleteazer stepped into the sunlight of an abnormally nice day. She was too used to residing in the darkness of her den that the clearing of the Junkyard was a bit blurry and unfocused. Yet the warmth felt nice on her fur, which almost seemed to layer over with a cold, thick overcoat. The tiger-striped queen sighed roughly, stepping out into what appeared to be a ghost town now. The Junkyard wasn't the lively home of the Jellicles. No kittens were dancing around the tire. No quilting bees were taking place between the older queens, the toms wouldn't be snooping around for a stray mouse, and nothing was being watched by the overseeing eyes of the Jellicle protectors. Teazer almost wondered if tumbleweeds would cross her path. After a while, she just decided to suffer the loneliness. Sure, there were the few remaining, healthy Jellicles that were sitting around in a mundane state of mind, yet it didn't make her feel any better.

One of those unfortunate souls that she had joined with was the Curious Cat, who seemed to have a dull look over his features. Rumpleteazer often wondered after her ordeals in this dark moment in Jellicle history why a depression controlled everyone in the Junkyard. It was almost as if the disease that was spreading around wasn't only causing physical ailments, but emotional ones as well. Once, this used to be a mirthful sanctuary for the Jellicles. There was not a care in the world, and only happiness existed. Yet Teazer had only been a mere kit at that time. That was before Macavity; before the battles between both good and evil. The tiger-striped queen realized how long ago that seemed to begin. Everything seemed to change so easily.

As she stared around the Junkyard, it felt more like walking through darkened, unfamiliar ruins than her old home. She was able to keep a façade of a smile on her face, but at some point, made it disappear. Teazer felt foolish for wearing it. What did she or anyone else have to be happy about? A raging virus and a corrupted morale? Deeply sighing from exhaustion, the tiger-striped queen sat out by the outer edges of the Junkyard, deciding to ignore the positive thoughts that buzzed around in her brain.

Then, without warning, she found herself closing in on a pacing Rum Tum Tugger. Teazer quietly contemplated whether or not to duck back to her den and act as though she wasn't there, yet by the time she wanted to confirm the thought, Tugger's shadowed eyes had spotted her standing there, staring at him. Trying to redeem herself from this unexpected imbroglio, Teazer moved her gaze to her feet, and attempted to think of a way to excuse her actions.

Yet, she was too late. The mystified Maine Coon spoke before her. "Are you okay?" he asked simply.

This question caught her by surprise for a few moments. She was so used to fawning over Tugger and being flirted with by him that her first response to any of his questions would be, "Sorry Tugs, I'm taken." But that was not what she said. Instead, Teazer just tried to shrug her shoulders. "Doin' my best." She replied. Her quiet tone could have shocked anyone. "… and you?"

Tugger raised an eyebrow as he sat down. "As well as one could expect."

Teazer sighed, wishing that they could have been less vague with one another. "… I don' expect much." She replied.

To her happiness, Teazer found a smile pass his lips. "Yeah, neither do I…" he told her quietly.

Their conversation came to a stalemate, soon dying to an awkward silence. After a while, Teazer just stared around, trying to think of something that wasn't going to be conflicting. "How's Munk doin'?"

"Not good…" he told her diminishingly, "Just as stressed as ever. Do you know how close he's been to a mental breakdown?"

"…Pretty close?" she guessed.

"I'd say about 1% of him is left sane."

"Oh…" Teazer just sighed after that, realizing how much she didn't want to dodge any subjects in the only conversation she had had in weeks. The tiger-striped queen cleared her throat of its hoarseness and left-over sobs, "…Tugger… Doya think we're trying ta'avoid what's botherin' us?"

Tugger's brow arched further at the question, but he ended up submitting a nod. "Yeah…Though I'd guess you know what my problem is…"

She winced, as horrid memories quickly flashed to her. The Warehouse. Zela. Jerrie. _Jerrie… _"… Yeah… Oi think Oi can guess… And the same ta me?"

Tugger sighed, "Unfortunately… I'm really sorry about Mungo, Teaze. I'm also sorry I couldn't have told you that when it happened…"

Teazer just shrugged. She knew the subject was pulling at her heartstrings, but no healed wounds would be reopened. Not if she could help it. "An'… Oi'm sorry about Zel-"

"Yeah, I am too…" He said quickly, frowning at the ground. "It's painful, you know? To… talk about losing someone."

Teazer took a good long look at the Rum Tum Tugger. His eyes were tired, he looked as though the light was blinding him, and his old persona was at a loss. She knew she could relate to everything. Losing the love of her life was harder than anything that this world could throw at her. Even if they were different, for once, The Rum Tum Tugger and the last in the couple of Notorious cats were empathetic for each other.

"… Yeah, I know…" was all she said. Not knowing what else to say, the tiger-striped queen began to feel her tears edging her eyes. "… I miss him…" she choked.

Tugger blinked, quickly walking over to her and hugging her comfortingly. No, he wasn't pulling a move, nor was he trying to be funny. The Rum Tum Tugger was trying to comfort her. "I miss her…" he told her. With a heavy sigh, the two lone Jellicles just sat together, being reminded of their empty lives, and being left without their other halves…

~^..^~

Zela always wondered why waiting was so difficult. Since she was young, she was always impatient. Her first memory was actually of waiting for her mother to get up out of their den so that they could go on their daily walk in the park. It had been incredibly early in the morning, though, and since she had no success in getting her mother up herself, the gold-red queen kit went off by herself. This turned out to be a poor decision on her part. Zela almost ended up getting herself killed after falling off into the street. Being the small kit that she was, not one car would have been able to catch her. Thank Bast for her mother, who had gotten up shortly afterward and followed her scent. She was able to save her young daughter from the perils of the road, and as punishment, she forced Zela to wait in their alley all afternoon before they went on their real walk.

However there were worse memories from what she recalled. She didn't want to wait for Tugger, She had given up on rescue because they took too long to come for them, and at this point, the gold-red queen was waiting for Marceth to come back to the cells. She tried to grow out of her kittenish impatience, yet sitting on the cell steps made it all come back to her. Well, it wasn't Marceth's unpunctuality that was really bothering her. Zela had now been wondering how long she had kept her father waiting with her resistance. He was waiting for her to break into the Warehouse's way of life. He wanted to mold her into his image and force into a life that she never wanted. But now, the gold-red queen was left wondering if perhaps she was the one waiting. She knew that someday, while she was still in captivity, she would give in to her father's demands. Zela knew she would submit, and only time was in Macavity's way now.

It was a truth she would never want to face, but it was a possibility. No one could spend a lifetime in captivity whilst remaining so strong. Perhaps if she stayed like this long enough, Macavity would begin using Jerrie and Teazer against her.

Suddenly, she saw light omit from the top of the stairs, and a dark figure beginning to walk down. She blinked and stood up, trying to make herself visible to the silhouette. A pair of glowing, golden eyes blinked at her. "Hey, Zela…"

Zela smiled, recognizing the voice immediately, "Marceth…How did it go?"

"Um… Fine, I guess…" he cleared his throat as his face came into torchlight. She could see he was trying to smile, and comfort her in some way, but she didn't feel swayed.

"What happened? What did he say?" she asked, looking firmly serious over the subject.

Marceth paused and cleared his throat. "Well… he said… basically that I'm doing well… and I deserve a promotion…"

"A promotion?" she repeated, looking almost disappointed, "…As…as what?"

"An interrogator… And that's… kind of an improvement from this."

"From this…right…" Zelaphelia's lips curled back as she stared down at her paws. She sat down in the middle of the stairway and placed her elbows on her knees. Marceth must have seen how upset she looked, since he joined her. But still, she didn't want to talk to him about what this "promotion" was going to do to them. Did this mean he wasn't going to be with her at all? She would just wander around in this Hell… alone? Relinquishing her heavy thoughts would only be lying, so she refused to do that in front of him. But knowing that he would leave her for a job gave her a better perspective on how they saw each other. Right then, she felt like she had crashed down the stairway, landing right back into her cell, losing every ounce of freedom she gained.

"Zela…please don't look like that. It's not like I asked for this… and it's not like I can say no… it'd be dishonorable…" Before the gold-red queen could come up with a response, the tortoiseshell put a paw on hers. She looked over at their paws, touching so warmly. It made her want to smile, but she wanted him to know how disappointed she was. "But I'm not going to stop being a guard. I've sorted things with him. I have two days of regular duties, and then I'll become an interrogator during the day and I'll be a guard at night. That way… we won't be able to not see each other…"

Zela looked at him, even if he was trying to avoid her gaze. Finally, when he did look at her, she knew he could see happiness in her eyes. "…Why would you do that?"

"Because… I… I guess I don't want to stop seeing you and taking that job full time would do the complete opposite of what I want."

For a while, the gold-red queen didn't know what she could say to him. She would have thanked him for not abandoning her. Yet, what if spending more time with him got him thinking more about her? Being closer to him reminded her of bathing in the spring sun after a harsh winter or finding raw meat after a week of nothing but garbage scraps. He was like the small, good things that happened to her when she was living on the streets as a kit.

"Hey… do you want to… go out hunting, or something?"

Marceth looked at her and raised an eyebrow. "Hunting? ….Okay… where?"

Zela thought for a moment before shrugging, "Well… I can't go outside the property without my father's permission, so… maybe behind the Warehouse, or something?"

The tortoiseshell tom stared at her until his young, eager features grew brighter, "Yeah, sure… Lunch, right? Jezabella will understand."

Zela smirked at that. A day without Jeza's harsh training would do her well. The gold-red queen stood on her feet, waiting for Marceth to do the same before she nodded at him. "Of course." She replied calmly.

The two of them walked up the narrow stairway with Zela leading. Once they reached the top, they faced the nearly empty main room of the Warehouse where few henchcats were training. Zela started heading towards the entranced of the warehouse, but then the tortoiseshell tom stopped her. "Let's use my exit." He told her, a shy smile on his face.

Zela grinned, deciding to let him lead after that. He brought them to the right side of the main room that was hiding under shadows. They came behind the crates in that were piled up next to the walls, yet not touching it. They simply sat there like useless props, only made to give a henchcat some privacy. The gold-red queen never thought there was a way to leave in the back of the Warehouse, and this seemed like the least likely place it would be hidden. "I've never seen this place before…" she mused.

"That's because the trainees in my group made it." Marceth grinned as he looked back and explained this. He started leading them away in the narrow passage, which appeared like Zela would view a theatre audience from beneath their seats.

She paused a moment, staring around in wonderment. "…You made this?"

"Well… helped… Ramlowe and Ben did a lot. A couple of henchcats did too. We thought we had to have our own exit. So we built one." Marceth put a paw on her shoulder, pointing his paw over at a small cat door that was built into a hole in a wall. Zela suddenly smiled, "That's… really cool."

Marceth glanced at her with a wide smile. "Yeah… come on, let's go hunt…"

=^..^=

They ended up going a little far at the end of the property. The strangely organized Junkyard that was piled behind the Warehouse still made Zela uneasy. She hated the darkness. She hated that there was nothing but gloom hidden over the shadows. It made hunting for prey less exciting… less lively. She wasn't sure how any henchcat could live in this horrid wasteland for so long. Yet Marceth didn't look at all affected. He had a content smile on his face as he sniffed around; searching for a rat he claimed to have spotted earlier.

Zelaphelia stayed quiet most of the time, finding that she hadn't been as hungry as she thought. Instead, she observed Marceth at his best. He was a great hunter, actually. He tracked things even faster than Macavity could. But even with such skill, Marceth had some sort of innocence that just glowed in his eyes and his smile. Every time she found herself near him, she felt like he had this indescribable hold over her. For Heavyside's sakes, she was a mystic; the daughter of the Hidden paw! How could anyone feel so compelling? Zela couldn't remember another time she felt like this. Being with Marceth made her happy… and somehow… that's was the line between a friendship and a real relationship.

After a few minutes, the tortoiseshell padded back with a dead rat in his mouth. He spat it out and placed it in front of her. "Hungry?" he asked, a civil smile on his face.

Zela grinned a little and leaned forward, sniffing at the rat for a second. "Is this the one you were tracking?"

"Sure is!" he said proudly, "Little thing was a rascal too! As much as I hate following after something so impossible, I can hardly resist a chase."

The gold-red queen laughed, "I see… well then, it proved to be less impossible… which is probably why you should keep it."

Marceth raised an eyebrow, "You're not hungry?"

"Not… especially…" She murmured, smiling a little at him, "I've had a couple of things on my mind."

"Oh…" Marceth smiled a little at her and just nudged the rat towards her. "Maybe we could go back to the Warehouse then? See what we missed? It's getting… pretty late out anyway… How long have we been hunting?"

Zela blinked, looking out in the west and seeing the sky highlighted by a dimming sunset. "Oh… I don't know… a few hours…"

"Well… time flies, doesn't it?" he smiled at her gently, making Zela's cheeks blush beneath her fur. His smile felt good… it felt right to have him looking like that at her.

"Yeah, it does…" she murmured, a small smile overcoming her. The gold-red queen couldn't do anything to hide it from him. She knew she cared for him, and it made her feel better, knowing that he felt the same. Yet, now that she knew so much about him… about how she felt… She almost felt like hiding was the better idea. The gold-red queen cleared her throat, "We should get back to the Cells…"

Marceth blinked. He seemed to pause a while before nodding wearily."Um… Yeah… I suppose so…" he mumbled. With that, the tortoiseshell tom gently took the rat in his mouth, and lead them away back to their home. There was a definite tension that was untraceable to the source… But it was a good tension, somehow; the kind that made Zela feel more comfortable around someone she felt so strongly about…

~^..^~

Misto worked the rest of the day and most of the night. His solidarity in his research made him miss the daylight, the bits of goodness that his family brought, but most importantly, he missed his pregnant mate. The tuxedo tom yawned tiredly; exhaustion was trying to be held back. He couldn't give up. Not now. He had gotten too close to do that. It didn't take long to figure out what the toxin was doing to feline bodies, and it helped even more when he brought mystic blood into the equation. "After all this time, I never saw it…" he muttered.

Mistoffelees ignored all feelings of disdain after scratching his own arms for his blood with little shards of broken glass. He had been experimenting with himself and his blood samples from other patients for too long now. He had grown desensitized to the pain. The tuxedo tom stared at the blood, working around with what he used to experiment it with. He had taken enough samples from patients in the next room to know what it would lead to. Misto had also found that the toxin would affect any body that didn't have the immune system of a mystic. Yet with different blood types, the reactions would be different when first injected. AB positives, like Plato, would completely lose control and act as though they were mad. O negatives or positives, such as Old Deuteronomy and Jellylorum, would just lose consciousness and fall into a coma.

It was a strange phenomenon to discover in his experimentation, but it was at least interesting. "Okay…" he murmured, researching the mixture of blood samples he collected in a test tube, "It's gotta be in here." He had experimented with so many bloods that he was getting dizzy from the scent of them. Inhaling deeply, Misto tried one more mixture, pouring in the chemicals that came close to giving the tainted blood a reaction.

After he carefully mixed them in a beaker, the tuxedo tom let out a silent prayer, asking the everlasting cat that this would be the mixture that would solve all their problems. He knew every chemical in his resources. He had taken every precaution that he possibly could. It had to be this time! Holding his breath, Mistoffelees suctioned the chemical mixture from the beaker to the syringe he held in his paws. He hesitated for a moment before he could find the courage to squeeze down and surged the contents into the test tube.

After a few moments… the fog in the blood cleared up, and the mixture bubbled over.

A wide smile finally grew on Mistoffelees face. Weeks and weeks of serious research and he had found it. The cure that could save them all! "I did it…" he murmured quietly. But only once, "I did it!" Mistoffelees stood up, having every note on the measures and chemicals in his mind. This would save everyone! Misto's first thought was how happy this was going to make Victoria... yet she never did meet her for a break, oh but surely she would condone it this time, especially now that he had the cure!

However, his celebration didn't last long. The last thing Mistoffelees remembered was having a paw over his mouth, which covered his mouth with a white cloth that smelled of chloroform. Misto, in his last moments of consciousness, dropped the beaker that held the cure. All that was left of it was his memories…

~^..^~

The sun had set more quickly than either Zela or Marceth had guessed. By the time they actually got back inside, the whole building was already darkened; the only light source was given by oil lamps that were clamped to the wall, yards away from each other in the hallways. Zela smirked a little as Marceth held up a match for her to look at, as if it were something to marvel.

The gold-red queen chuckled as they padded gingerly to the stairway of the cells. The lamps in the cells were barely ever lit whenever it was Marceth's break, and it usually fell on to him to light their nights together. Zela always loved talking at that time with the tortoiseshell tom. She knew that she loved him for all the company he gave her. It surprised her when she thought of the word, love in her mind, and she automatically went to Marceth in the thought. Was it perhaps more than a friendship that fueled the eagerness of the word on her tongue? She had contemplated the thought several times ever since they kissed each other.

Even when she looked into Marceth's eyes, she saw the very same thing that she felt. He saw happiness whenever his attention turned to her. She felt like her heart was leaping in her throat whenever he spoke to her smoothly. She always found herself watching his lips, his piercing golden eyes, and every movement that occurred in his body. He was no longer the naïve henchcat she had first met in the cells. The tortoiseshell tom was now someone who understood her; who knew her, and she him. After all this time, they had known each other better than themselves. They were regular bailiwicks on each other. How could two cats that became so compatible in their relationship remain in as friends? _Impossible… _The gold-red queen thought to herself, _I'm… in love with a henchcat…_

Pushing all these internal thoughts away, Zela watched as Marceth lit a spare oil lamp and carefully took her paw, leading them both back down into the cells. "I think everything worked out well today, don't you?"

"Yeah, it did…" she murmured, smiling as they paused on the stairway to talk. Marcetheus gleamed under the light of the lamp. "Actually… today was… perfect…" The gold-red queen smiled at him, timidly trying to say the word "perfect".

Marceth blinked, his eyes moving across the stair he stood upon, "Yeah…" he mumbled, "Perfect… 'sides my little chat with the boss…"

Zela blinked, seeing the upset in his face, which she hadn't expected. "Well, that doesn't really matter. I'll find a den in the Warehouse, move out of the cells when my dad actually trusts me, and we can see each other whenever we want!" She smiled, actually thinking that this was a great plan that she had concocted. Yet, it was strange as well, realizing that she was making long-term plans to live in the Warehouse. Not letting this disrupted focus faze her, the gold-red queen put her free paw on his shoulder. "It'll be okay. I promise."

Marceth seemed to take this assurance rather well, but Zela wouldn't be fooled. She could tell as he just stared ahead that there was something else bothering him. Suddenly, the tortoiseshell tom gave her a grin, as if he was trying to give an assurance to her as well. The gold-red queen yawned from exhaustion suddenly as she looked away from his shy grin, and just gazed down at the staircase, feeling woozy the moment she looked at him.

That was when Zelaphelia noticed something peculiar. She lightly raised an eyebrow as she peered at the end of the cell door. There was light being emitted from the bottom. Feeling that this wasn't a regular occurrence, Zela poked at Marceth, and pointed down at the light. "Why are the lamps lit down there…?" she asked, barely above a whisper.

Marceth quickly followed her paw down the staircase, and suddenly, his body stiffened. "Oh… Oh no…" His body quickly turned to distress as she shoved the lamp in Zela's direction, missing her by only inches before she would be scorched. "Hold this…" he muttered, quickly walking down the stairs.

Zela stared at him in confusion for a second before following him to the floor's level. "Marceth, what's going on?" she asked, still as quiet as ever.

Marceth jiggled his pair of keys into the lock, partially fumbling with them as he unlocked the door. "Zela, something Macavity also told me was that… my parents were coming back to headquarters from their job in Kingsten. And that they were coming tonight…"

Zela's ears perked at his statement, not only from the word "parents", but from recognition of the name, "Kingsten". "What?"

Before he could answer her further, Marceth shoved the door open, revealing a jet-black tom leaning back on a cell door, and a white queen with a thin face sitting on Marceth's chair, picking dirt from her claws. Zela's heart skipped several beats, making sure to clutch the lamp in her paw so that she wouldn't drop it.

Marceth's face didn't change from a blank expression as the pair quickly looked up, both with smirks. "Son!" the queen called, standing on her feet, a long string of pearls swaying on her neck. One would think a loving parent would walk up to their child and hug them after such a long separation, but they did nothing. After a second, the apparent father of Marceth had switched his smirk from his son to Zela, who was quaking at the door.

"Well, if it isn't our little alley queen." The tom purred mockingly. The white queen let out a snort.

Marceth looked between the three of them, then just raised an eyebrow at Zela. "Have you met my parents?"

It took Zela several moments before she could finally speak again, but she decided not to answer Marceth's question. "… Cesaro… Wynestelle…" she said, barely in a whisper. Both cats seemed to smirk even wider.

The gold-red queen could still hardly believe it. The two cats that had given her shelter in Kingsten were _agents _for her father. And suddenly, every question from the anomalies in that disgusting town had been answered. The Pollicle, the eyes in the shadows, the knowledge the two had of the Hidden Paw. After all this time, she had been sharing information with her father's contacts; obvious pawns that were part of his plan to get her back to London. "You… betrayed me…" she said, her voice increasing in volume. "You were helping my father?"

Wyne snorted again and leaned against the wall. "Convincing, huh? Saro and I pride ourselves for our acting skills." She rolled her eyes, "And playing caring nursemaid to you day after day got exhausting! I swear, if the boss contacted us a day sooner than he did, I would have shipped ya to London for him!"

Zela just stared at her angrily. The only mother figure she had on the trip around London was a sham. Cesaro came up behind his mate and wrapped a paw around her waist. His proud smirk was still on the gold-red queen. "What? You're surprised that two random strangers would accept you into their lives in such a horrible place like Kingsten?" he laughed, "You're more predictable than how the boss described."

Marceth finally spoke up after this mess was revealed. "I… I don't understand."

Wyne walked up to her son and pinched his cheek, "You see, Sweetie, this little damsel's daddy wanted us to take her in so that he could figure out a way to get her back home."

Saro chuckled as he leaned back. "Our whole job this summer was to keep her in one spot until the boss sent his pollicle over to us. The second our little Zela found out the mutt was with her father, she would go to the only safe place she could go."

Wynestelle smirked at Zela as she rested a paw on Marceth's shoulder. "_So _predictable…"

Finally, the jet-black tom's gaze turned back to his son, "And what joy we found when he called us back to the Warehouse to find out the pleasant surprise that our son got promoted to be an interrogator for the boss!"

"We're very proud of our little tom…" Wyne grinned, kissing Marceth's cheek quickly, "And think of all the time we get to spend with you after we finish a job for the boss tomorrow!"

Marceth remained completely neutral throughout this whole conversation before he nodded. "Yeah… great…" he murmured, appearing to attempt excitement in his face, "I missed you both."

"Sure, sure Marcetheus." Cesaro dismissed quickly. The tom quickly leaned up and wrapped his arm around Wynestelle's shoulder. "Well, we need to go get into a room…"

The white queen chuckled, her blue eyes' brightness was replaced with sleaze, "Five months of work… one night of rest won't be so bad…" She leaned over, giving her mate a long, deep kiss before they parted, "G'night, son." She told Marceth, ruffling his head fur.

Cesaro snorted at Zela as he pushed her out of the way of the door. "Have a good night, Zela."

With that, the devious pair walked back up the stairs, laughing hysterically all the way there…

~^..^~

There was an awkward silence between Marceth and Zela for a long time; so long that it took what seemed like ages before Marceth forced himself to close the door to the cells. He felt himself shaking in disbelief. Of course, the obvious reason for that was his parents had come back in his life! They were still the same as ever, caring… about his future, happy that he was safe… and moving up in the ranks, and above all, they were as proud as ever. Not of him, though. They were proud of how their fornicating could consequently result in their bastard offspring giving them a boost in criminal status.

But his parents' relationship with him wasn't bothering him as much as Zela's reaction to them. It didn't take long to understand what was really going on. She knew them, and wasn't happy to see them in Macavity's lair. Marceth wanted to be angry with this information. He wasn't, maybe because it was all very confusing. What surprised him most was that this commonality had never come up in any of Zela and his conversations. Now what could he say to her without making the silence even more uncomfortable?

Marceth turned himself to the gold-red queen. She had already curled up in the middle of her cell. Devastation was visible in every movement her body produced. It was strange, seeing the compunction in her violet eyes and the vulnerability in her face. He sighed, quickly walking into the cell and sitting down beside her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "I'm sorry about that…" he murmured tenderly.

Zela quickly shook her head. She rested her head into his chest, as her arms wrapped around him. Comfort was a strange thing, and definitely something Marceth wasn't used to. But someone he was close to deserved what comfort he could give her. Her calmness reminded him of the gulls that sat down on the beach by the peer. They only stayed if left undisturbed. He felt it was his opportunity to calm the waves and wait for the gulls to return to the beach. "I'm really sorry." He said, hugging her tightly.

Zela clung to him, sniffling as she laid her head on his shoulder. "They… betrayed me…" she whimpered, "And they're your parents…"

Marceth nodded, resting his head down by hers. "I know…" he whispered.

She buried her face into her fur. "What use is trust anyone anymore?" The tortoiseshell tom just stroked her head fur, pretending that statement didn't relate to him. He wasn't going to make her feel worse in her state.

"Because there are a few people who are worth trusting, Zela. The kind that make us happy and make us feel good about ourselves. The kind of people that we learn to love..." Marceth wasn't sure where this had all come from, but it was a motivational sort of comfort. Or maybe it was his own nostalgia of trying to find someone that he could trust to love. And a thought quickly came to him... why couldn't he love _her_? _The daugther of the hidden paw..._ his sensible side reminded. However, the tortoiseshell tom decided to ignore his logic for once in his life.

She inhaled deeply and pressed herself against him. "Marceth…" she said shakily, "…We've been through a lot, right?"

He nodded, a small smile creeping on his face. "Yeah, we have, Zela." He rested his head down on hers, hoping he wasn't pushing his limits. "I love… being with you…every moment of every day. Ever since the day you showed me you could conjure your way out of your own cell."

There was a laugh that came from Zela. A sweet, gentle laugh that Marceth always liked hearing. A little light shined on the queen's face at that statement. Marceth wasn't sure, but he swore he felt the vibration of her purrs on his face. She leaned her head up to look into his eyes. "Marceth…" He heard her breathe deeply. His muscles tightened at seeing her expression of pure, genuine happiness, "…I… I love you."

Marceth stared at her eyes, her beauty, and again being enticed, even in her vulnerable state. What was this hold that the gold-red queen had over her? Zelaphelia, the daughter of the Hidden Paw, just admitted to loving him. And when she had said this… he felt himself uplifted, like they were the only two cats that mattered, and there were no problems left in the world. There was so much emotion merely between their faces that the words that slipped out of his lips in the quietest of tones were inevitable. "I love you too…"

Their eyes were locked on each other so deeply, that not one sound could disturb the concentration and peace they shared. What words couldn't describe, they were experiencing. Marceth couldn't feel awkwardness anymore. Only love. Complete and utter love. He himself, a dark, twisted mind raised in the claws of the Hidden Paw, had fallen for a queen that enlivened the gloom that he had developed with as a small kit. That saturnine hate was disappearing now as he felt through her body and copied her smile. She made him happier than he could have ever realized. The tortoiseshell tom, unsure of what else to do now that utter affection was aroused around them, slowly leaned down by her lips, and kissed them deeply.

She didn't resist at any time. Zela complied, and encouraged his movements, kissing him back just as deeply as her paws moved around him. Marceth dominated this contact, holding her tightly in his arms. He felt like his whole body was on fire as he leaned down upon her. Were things fast from just admitting their love for each other? Perhaps so, but their emotions were so swollen between each other that there was no stopping what was between them.

Their passion, growing so much in size had clouded their logical judgment. The loving kisses did not stop, the movements did not stop, and soon enough, their joy and pure affection created the night that Marceth and Zela lost their innocence.

~^..^~


	25. Unbroken

**A/N: I dedicate this chapter to my faulty internet. Though I hate you passionately for breaking down on me this last weekend, I must thank you for giving me such terrible boredom that I was able to write the last ten pages of this chapter. Thus, it is done earlier than I expected it to be! ^_^**

_Their passion, growing so much in size had clouded their logical judgment. The loving kisses did not stop, the movements did not stop, and soon enough, their joy and pure affection created the night that Marceth and Zela lost their innocence._

~^..^~

The morning was short and frustrating. It was a wonder if it was any more decipherable from the night. But perhaps because Victoria was so clouded in anger, she had given up on figuring it out for herself. Her own mate had lied to her, saying that he would take a break from his research and come back to their den, only to abandon the plans without giving her notice! As if being heavily pregnant wasn't enough, the white queen was in such a dark, emotional state that she could tear her mate's head off.

Growling angrily, Victoria strode into the clearing of the Junkyard as it still appeared deserted and spiritless. Yet anything that was near death could see that the white queen was not going to allow anyone get in her way, not even her depressive home. She saw her father come trudging forward by the tire, and she knew he spotted her striding toward the medical den. Victoria quickly turned her head to Munkustrap, sending him a look that said not to say or do anything to stop her.

For some reason, he did exactly what her actions ordered. She would fill her father in on details later about how angered she was at her mate. Victoria stormed through the isle that two rows of sick patients' made, being sure to cover her mouth, to be safe of Jellylorum's theory of the disease spreading through the air. Of course, now it wasn't saying much when she was lying unconscious on a bed and a catheter stuck into her vein. As soon as she was cleared out of the quarantined zone, the white queen strode forward to the back of the medical den. She slammed her fist on the makeshift door several times as a warning, then pushed it open, obviously irked with anger. She stomped in, ready to give her mate a piece of her mind.

Suddenly, as she observed the room, something was chilling her. The cold loneliness became obvious, but it wasn't her mate absence that was bothering Victoria. It was the chilling sense that there had been some sort of a struggle. Her anger had instantly dissolved, and instead, she studied her investigative observations. There was a broken beaker and test tube shattered along the floor, a slightly colored liquid was splattered around the glass. Up by Misto's desk, blood was sitting inside circular Petri dishes and on the edges of large glass shards.

Her mate's scent was near, but clearly, there wasn't much left to it. He hadn't been inside for a while. Victoria felt sick now, as another scent, a Warehouse tom's scent was in her nose as she got closer to a back exit. A henchcat had been here. Victoria could suddenly feel the tension tightening her muscles. Something had happened last night… "Misto…" she whispered to the air. Her mate… he was gone…

Staring ahead at a junk pile, panic suddenly shot through white queen. Anything could have happened to her mate. If he was safe, then he would have contacted her by now. As her breathing increased, Victoria stumbled back to the entrance, then quickly zipped around and didn't even bother to shut the door or cover her mouth as she was running through the isle of sick Jellicles. There was too much emotion going through her to remember. Victoria found herself shouting her mate's name; sudden tears rolled down her cheek. This was all wrong. The father of her kits wasn't supposed to disappear on her! Suddenly becoming very dizzy, the white queen almost collided with the large tire in the clearing. She placed her paws over it, inhaling the rubber for some rate of support.

She felt a pair of paws on her shoulders, shifting to her in a comforting way. "Vicky? What's wrong?"

The alert voice could only be her father. But Victoria just started blubbering at his words, cringing into his chest. "Misto…" she muttered, crying hysterically, "He's gone..!"

~^..^~

There was no moon out during night before. And it took until dawn before Barnabas could drag the tuxedo mystic to the Warehouse. It appeared that the chloroform didn't last as long on him as the sleazy henchcat had anticipated. Fighting off a mystic was no simple task, but Mistoffelees at least had the decency to wake up when they had come into the Warehouse's property. The border patrol came quickly to the black tom's aid to fight off the Mystic. It took five henchcats, but they were finally able to dodge the blasts of energy Mistoffelees sent at them, held him down, and drugged him again.

Macavity seemed pleased enough when they dragged the unconscious tom into his quarters and threw him in the corner. Of course, no one could ever be completely sure of the boss's reactions. Barnabas only knew that if the Jellicles grew any hope of survival from the boss's raging toxin, he had to be the one to stop it. Being unceremoniously sent out of his den was probably the equivalent of being thanked. Barnabas had learned to take these as good things over the years. But he never enjoyed being in this kind of service. Had the black tom not been Macavity's most loyal espionage agent since the job was assigned to him? He deserved a larger part in Macavity's little show, but he had been patient and strategic for a reason. Barnabas was going to get as close to power as he could. But for now, he was willing to stand by the Napoleon of Crime's door as a guard, and wait for instructions.

A few hours later in the early morning, a beige queen came striding toward the door, grinning madly. Barnabas wanted to smirk. Jezabella was rumored to be one of Macavity's neediest whores, even after leaving the den of his favorite queens. He had known her since she first came to the Warehouse; she was a sniveling queen who was too used to a high societal life. Oh, he had taken a great part in watching her fall into place; however that didn't stop Macavity from moving her up in the ranks. It didn't help the black tom's confidence at all, but knowing that the boss hated her made him feel a little better.

Jeza seemed to smirk when she saw the black, scarred tom that was guarding the door. She sauntered over to him, swaying in a way that Barnabas interpreted as seductive. All the toms wanted to tell her how hopeless she was a playing mind games, but Barnabas found the foolish queen interesting. She certainly had some skill; otherwise she wouldn't be training kittens into henchcats. Perhaps she would come to some use?

"Hey Barney…" the Tokinese queen purred, "What are you doing out here all alone?"

"Guarding, Jeza." Barnabas replied flatly, not taking much of a shine to "Barney".

"Well, that doesn't sound like too much fun…" She said, a pouty sound coming from her throat, "You could always take a break…"

Barnabas smirked, seeing through her innocent suggestion, "Jeza, if I were to leave my post just so you can get in to see the boss, unrequested, I would probably be flogged, and I'm not really in the mood to be flogged. Not when I got zapped by electric bolts three times last night."

Jeza scoffed mockingly, "Poor Baby… I would never have that be my intentions, though. I just think the boss would like my company."

Barnabas rolled his eyes, "You're a hopeless case…" he muttered.

"…What do you mean by that?" she asked, seeming to lose her charm when she detected an insult.

The black tom shrugged nonchalantly, unable to stop himself from smirking now, "You're not going to win anything from the boss except disrespect. I've seen you for years, trying to gain his attention, but can't you see that he doesn't give a henchrat's ass about you?"

Jezabella quickly frowned at him, obviously not as seductive as she was when she came to him. "For your information, the boss cares an awful lot about me. He just has difficulty showing it."

"You annoy him." Barnabas grumbled, "As soon as your voice is out of his hearing range, it's less likely he'll try to kill someone."

Jeza took more offense to this as she dug her claws into his arm and glared, "That's not true." She hissed lowly.

Barnabas persisted, "But it is! The sooner you realize that, the sooner you're better off. He doesn't care about any of us, except for our labor. If you were to die right in front of him, he'd spit on your corpse. I know this because I'm his _assistant _and spy. I've seen every henchcat abuse in the book. He doesn't care about any of us."

She hissed quietly. "You don't know what you're talking about. And if you're not going to let me in, then I'll just come back later. And once the boss hears that you didn't let me in, then I'll take a pleasure in watching you get flogged! I promise you that!"

The Tokinese queen huffed as she spun on her heels in the reverse direction and strutted away. Barnabas couldn't help but smirk wider as he watched the lower half of her body walk away. For such a dumb queen, she was quite pretty, and very fiery as well. It would be fun to see her get crushed by Macavity in time. Every queen realized that truth eventually, and when Jezabella did, maybe she would be useful. He would pick up her broken pieces and repair her in his image.

Yes, things were going to go right after Macavity's latest scheme blew over…

~^..^~

Macavity watched Mistoffelees sleep uncomfortably at the other end of his den. Smirking evilly, the ginger tom stood up out of his chair and kneeled down next to him. It was amusing, realizing that the only two cats that knew the cure to the ginger tom's virus were in the same room. Of course, Macavity was going to make sure that it would only be one cat relatively soon. Mistoffelees couldn't live, not at the threat of him curing the Jellicles... And yet it seemed like such a terrible waste of magic… The whole point of this plan was to kill the tribe cats and capture their mystics. And this small, tuxedo tom was probably the most useful of all the mystics that resided in the Junkyard.

Perhaps then, he wouldn't have to get rid of him… only keep him quiet for while until the point of attack. Smirking still, the ginger tom placed a paw on Mistoffelees' chest, and sent powerful electric currents through his body. The young mystic was so shocked into consciousness, he yelled in agonizingly even after Macavity released him. He watched the tuxedo tom's chest rise up and down rapidly, trying to recover from the pain. It gave the Napoleon of Crime pleasure to see a Jellicle in pain, but his main objective today wasn't to torture. No, it was to put Mistoffelees in his proper place. "Rise and shine, little Mistoffelees..." the ginger tom purred grimly, rising to his full height, "Let me be the first to welcome you to the Warehouse."

Misto's eyes opened in narrow slits, a light growl escaping his throat as his gaze reached the ginger tom. Macavity chuckled, "I don't really have the time to watch you nap in my den, so I'll make this quick: you'll be staying here as my laborer, alive, until you are of no use to me. And I'll be giving you a front row seat to watch your tribe die."

The tuxedo tom stared at the ginger tom for a few moments before glaring. He tried to sit up, but Macavity just pushed him back on the ground. "Bastard…" Misto muttered weakly, "I won't let you hurt the tribe…"

"Yet I already have." The ginger tom pointed out mockingly, "And I really wouldn't be calling your captor and future boss a bastard. Especially when I wouldn't have the strength to do this-" He grinned, striking Mistoffelees with a bolt of energy. The little tom let out another agonized cry, as Macavity was making sure that it was hurting him badly. The ginger tom sighed after a moment, soon deciding to let him go. The Tuxedo tom breathed deeply several times, having no defense in return. Macavity just laughed, "Amusing how someone so clever can be so easily weakened. A bit of a shame, actually… Your powers will be useful, though. Perhaps if you consented to join me now, I could make the tribe's death less painful."

Mistoffelees responded by spitting at the ground. The ginger tom grinned wider, "I thought not. Ah well… It will still be fun to see how much you can take. But until then… perhaps you could keep my daughter some company? Bast knows she barely socializes with anyone."

The tuxedo tom's eyes widened slightly, "Zela…" he breathed.

Macavity just chuckled at his reaction, "Yes, she'll be happy to finally see one of her old friends, I'd imagine… She deserves a little reward for cooperating like a good little heir to my empire." He grinned, "I'll be sure she knows you're here… Oh, and Mistoffelees," Macavity gripped the little mystic's chest again, "If I find that you're using any powers to try and elude me-" he sent a screeching energy to his mind, and simply smiled as he heard the tom scream, "-That is going to happen a lot more often…"

Macavity tossed Mistoffelees on the floor and strode over to his door. "Take him to the cells!" he barked to Barnabas.

The ginger tom checked on the little mystic, who was obviously still working to gain his strength back. "You won't win, Macavity. With more than one mystic gone, the tribe will come looking for us."

Macavity laughed as plopped down in his black chair. "In their condition? Don't count on it, Mistoffelees…" Barnabas quickly walked in, taking the tuxedo tom by the shoulders and pushing him out of the den.

This was working out more splendidly than Hidden Paw had imagined. Two Junkyard mystics were already in his grasp. He almost wished that the Jellicles were all too weakened already and he could attack them. However, if he had been patient for this long, then a couple more weeks wasn't going to hurt…

~^..^~

Zela didn't need to open her eyes to know who was holding her in his arms. The coolness of the cells weren't as strenuous for her since the night before. She felt Marceth's warm breath on her face and his large paws wrapped around her waist. Zela smiled a little, not bothering to open her eyes before leaning forward and kissing his shoulder. "Good morning…" she murmured groggily.

She heard Marceth chuckle as his lips kissed the base of her forehead. "Good morning…" he said back, his grip slightly tightening on her.

As tired as she felt, Zela found the strength to open her eyes and look at Marceth. He was so close to her now… so loving in his touch… it made her wonder what had happened the night before where they fell into this harmonic state. "You sound so content…" she observed after a moment, yawning loudly.

The tortoiseshell tom laughed, looking quiet entertained by the comment. "And you sound so tired… which is appropriate. You sleep much longer than I do, you know."

Zela smirked, cuddling up to his chest. "Always the charmer…" she muttered lightly, leaning forward to kiss his lips. It seemed so strange when she felt him kiss her back. Yet… this felt right… it felt like it was supposed to happen, Marceth and her… together. _Together… _she thought, finding the statement odd. The gold-red queen quickly leaned up out of his arms and logically thought about what had happened the night before. She remembered saying that she loved him, and that he had said he loved her too. She remembered kissing him… him touching her… when she lay back on the ground… and when he laid himself on top of her…

"Oh Heavyside…" she thought out loud.

Marceth raised himself with her, quickly wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "Something wrong?" he asked, still having a sweetened sound in his tone.

Zela's head swiveled to him, her violet eyes widened in shock. "Last night… we…we…"

Marceth's smile seemed to grow, "Yeah, we did…"

Zelaphelia wasn't comforted at all by his smile, or the way he sounded. Memories of how amazing last night was came back to her. She had felt so fantastic, and it had probably been one of the best nights of her life. But it shouldn't have happened. No, something like should have waited… she had let her feelings get a hold of her. But now, she knew that she loved Marceth. All of her emotions were running so high that she probably would have done anything. "We shouldn't have…" she finally said.

The gold-red queen looked up at Marceth to see his face, which looked less happy and more serious. "What do you mean?" he asked.

Zelaphelia just shook her head, "It shouldn't have happened. Marceth, I was upset and unstable and I shouldn't have let you do anything…" The gold-red female suddenly looked up, realizing her word choice. If she hadn't been so overemotional, Marcetheus wouldn't have been able to do anything. Marceth had taken her while being absorbed in her vulnerability. "You… Marceth, did you take advantage of me?" She suddenly stood up straight. How could she have been so stupid? Marcetheus could have been lying to her the whole time! He was probably waiting for the correct opportunity when she was most vulnerable, biding his time and buying into her affections... Why hadn't she seen it? "Why? Why would you do that to me? You knew how horrible I felt!"

Marcetheus stared her in shock. He stood back on his feet and glared at her, his shock turning into outrage, "Yes, I did know that! I also know that the moment I said _'I love you'_; I wanted to be with you! Or was making love to you not enough to prove that?"

Zela wasn't moved by his words. "Who said 'I love you' meant anything, Marceth? That whole time, you could have been trying to convince me you had feelings for me just so you could… could… do that!"

Growling lowly, the Tortoiseshell tom took a firm hold of Zela's shoulders, not giving her much room to struggle. The gold-red queen glared at him, trying to take a step back, yet Marceth wouldn't allow her to do anything over wriggling in his grasp. He wanted her attention to be on him. "Zela, I sat next to you_ all_ night. I watched you while you were sleeping! If I just wanted to have my way with you, do you think I would have stuck around? …" Marceth breathed deeply quickly staring into her eyes, "Zela, I meant what I said… I do love you… the words might sound different right now… but it's the truth."

Zela wasn't sure what to say to that. She was still contemplating if he was really leveling with her or not. Taking a deep breath, the gold-red queen looked away from the tortoiseshell tom, and took a step back from him when his grip lightened. "…It did mean something to you… right? What you said?"

"Of course it did." He replied firmly, still looking upset by her original accusation, "I can understand why you were suspicious… but, Zela, I don't think I've felt this way for any queen before… I've never met someone more brave… more loyal… more pretty…" Marceth looked away, his face seeming to rouge at his last word, yet he quickly looked back into her eyes and turned serious, "though I wish you were more trusting…"

Zela's gaze traveled down to her feet as she tried to ignore the guilt he was suddenly making her feel. Yes, he suddenly had a point. If she didn't feel so suspicious of his motives to being with her, then maybe she would trust what he was saying… perhaps if they had met under different circumstances, then none of this would have been an issue. There wouldn't have been any problem with faith in each other wouldn't have been in existence. If Zela wasn't the daughter of the Hidden Paw and he wasn't a henchcats, she knew they would be happy in this new-found relationship. She sighed deeply, "I do trust you, Marceth… But it's strange that I allowed what happened to happen… especially after what I found out about your parents… I don't want to be hoodwinked like that again…"

Marceth sighed quietly, relaxing from their awkward fight, "That won't happen with me. I'm nothing like my parents, Zela. I can promise you that."

He slowly leaned forward to kiss her forehead gently. Zela inhaled deeply and leaned her head so that it rested on his chin. The anger and suspicions quickly cleared from her mind as she re-wrapped her arms around him, and his around hers. His touch and his warmth… they had far too much love to be labeled as a lie. Marceth rested his head over hers, chuckling quietly in her ear. The gold-red female grinned, "What?"

"Nothing…" he said, grinning down at her, "… But I guess this means we're together doesn't it?"

Zela purred quietly at the thought. They were truly together then, especially because they mated. She belonged to him now. "I guess so…" she murmured, "…Yet… doesn't mating mean… we're actually mates? Or at least it means so unofficially. That's the way it's explained in the tribe…. I think you have to dance at the Jellicle Ball first and mating just seals the deal…"

Marceth blinked, seeming to be in pondering with the idea. "…Probably… though it's a little different here. It's an unwritten rule that henchcats aren't allowed to come to your precious little balls. There aren't really any mateships in the Warehouse… If two cats wanted one… well… they'd have to be approved by the boss…So yeah… technically, this is an illegitimate mateship…"

The gold-red queen looked up with him, suddenly getting a worried look in her eye. The word "boss" stuck out to her. She never even thought about what Macavity would do if he found out his daughter had mated with her guard. "My father won't be happy about…this…" she pointed her paw between them, yet quickly hooked her other arm around his neck.

Marceth nodded, kissing her lips again gently, "If he ever did find out… I'm here to protect you. Besides, we have a plan, don't we? I'm an interrogator by day and guard by night… at least until Macavity trusts you again… but even when that day comes, the cells are always private… It might be a bit of a morbid place… but… in a way… it really does feel like our place, you know?"

Zela smiled narrowly, "You're right… Thank Heavyside it's so vile that only prisoners and guards go down in it…"

Marceth laughed, "Certainly vile enough where we mate in cells… Not strange at all for you?"

"'Course not." The gold-red queen replied with a smirk, "I think I'm a little less reactive to all these strange things. It's nice to finally find a perk to being a prisoner."

Marcetheus just grinned as he leaned forward and kissed her lips softly. Zela complied, kissing him back with a terse emphasis. They stood there for a few minutes, simply enjoying their physical contact. The gold-red queen could only see this as a perfect moment between lovers. He did love her. She could feel it.

But before she even wanted to stop, a shout from the prison door interrupted them. "Marceth! Open the door, you dolt! I got a prisoner for you!"

Marceth's eyes flashed forward to the cell door. He inhaled sharply and took a reluctant step away from Zela. "Act casual…" he told her, quickly removing himself from the cell and locking her inside. Zela frowned, but sat down in the corner and crossed her arms, trying to appear as miserable as she was before. The tortoiseshell gave her a wink of approval before unlocking the main door to the cell, revealing Barnabas holding a tired, struggling tom by the pelt.

Zelaphelia's eyes widened as she recognized Mistoffelees. "Misto!" she cried, unable to control herself as she ran up to her cell door.

Marceth gave her another look that said not to overreact, but then just fell into the role of tough-angry-guard. "Sit down!" he shouted, whipping the gold-red female with his tail. Zela backed up from the door reluctantly, but kept at Misto, who was still struggling in Barnabas's grasp.

"This one's a wriggler," the black tom muttered, quickly tossing Misto into Marceth's arms, "And a Jellicle mystic, too. Don't fall for any of his tricks." He growled lowly at the tuxedo tom, then just turned himself to the exit and gave no concern to Zela.

When he shut the door, Marceth quickly dragged Mistoffelees into the cell next to Zela's, and locked him in. Zela could hardly bear watching her friend be treated like this. She banged her fist on the bars. "Let me out, Marceth! He's my friend!"

The tortoiseshell henchcat stared at her, confused for a second before unlocking her cell door. "I can't let you in his Cell, Zel. Protocol. "

"It's not like you haven't broken protocol before…" Zela muttered, but then she just shook her head and sat down next to Misto's cell. "Never mind… Misto, can you hear me? It's Zela…are you alright...?"

Mistoffelees groaned before sitting up and rubbing his head. "Zela…" he murmured, grinning slightly, "I knew you weren't dead. Or switching sides."

Zela raised an eyebrow, suddenly puzzled by the tuxedo tom's words. "Misto, what happened to you?"

The small mystic wheezed as he leaned up to look through the bars of his cell, "I… I did it, Zel… I found the cure to the disease in the Junkyard…But Macavity found out and had me kitnapped… Now I'm stuck here until the whole tribe gets killed off…"

The gold-red queen shook her head in disbelief. "The tribe… what's been going on?"

He shook his head gently as he rested his body on the concrete wall, "Half the tribe has gotten infected… even Jelly and Jenny… we barely have any power against the toxin… our defenses are down… Munkustrap is a mess… and Zel, Demeter's sick…"

Zelaphelia felt her heart beating rapidly as her stomach turned over in queasiness. "Not my mother…" she murmured, suddenly glaring down at the stone floor. "That's going too far… how long does everyone have?"

Mistoffelees shook his head. "I'm not sure… Plato and Etcy probably don't have more than a week to live… If I could get back, I could help them…"

The gold-red queen sighed roughly, "I know… but I know where we can find another cure, Misto. It's in the Warehouse. This whole toxin was Macavity's plan against us. As soon as I find out where Jerrie and Teazer are, we can all get out of this place. I won't let them hurt you more than they did…"

Misto stared at Zela for a long time before his brow crinkled. "Zel… Teazer is back at the 'yard. She told us that she saw you training with henchcats and that you turned. And Macavity told her that he killed Jerrie."

"… Teazer's at the 'yard?" Zela said, suddenly wondering about what on earth her father had been up too behind her back. She growled lowly. "So my dad hadn't really been that truthful, has he? …Oh Jerrie…" the gold-red queen breathed deeply several times at the thought of the tiger-striped tom being killed. She had wanted to keep him alive. She thought doing what Macavity said would save both Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer… but now the ginger tom had made her angry. He couldn't take her friends from her now. She wouldn't allow it. "We're going to get out of here, Misto. We'll get that cure to the tribe, and Macavity won't be able to stop us."

Marceth finally spoke up after being silent for so long, yet he didn't sound as calm as he had been earlier. "Zela... you're kidding, right? You're not actually leaving…"

Zelaphelia looked up at Marceth, suddenly feeling a bit of heartache. If she got Misto and herself out of here… then she would lose Marceth. And there was no way he'd come with. He was too loyal to her father, and besides, Macavity would kill Marceth if he found out that the young tortoiseshell betrayed him. "Marceth… my tribe is at stake… I can't let them die, knowing I could have done something to stop it. Please… it's the only way…"

"But it isn't!" he shouted, placing his paw on her shoulder firmly. The gold-red queen stared at him, and strangely enough… she could see in his eyes that he wasn't going to let go of her any time soon; not when they had just come together. "Zela… there must be another way… let me help you."

Zela sighed quietly, "Marceth, how can you help us?" she quickly looked back at Misto, who seemed confused about the exchange happening between her and an unknown henchcat.

Marceth ignored her stare to Misto and just focused on Zela. "Look… this… this Jerrie person… he was one of those two thieves that were imprisoned here some time ago, right?"

"Yeah…" she replied, somewhat tentatively.

"Let me search for him! Since no one has really seen him dead, then there's a possibility the boss left him alive to keep him as leverage above you." Zela saw the sincerity of Marceth's smile, yet she could easily believe that this was just a way to slow the inevitable… eventually … she would have to leave him.

"It would be good reasoning…" she mused, "…Maybe… you just may be right…But if you're going to do something like that, Marceth, then I'm helping you." She grinned at Marceth, finally accepting him now as her mate. The gold-red queen turned her head and grinned wryly at Misto. "We might be able to save the tribe yet…"

The tuxedo tom smiled weakly as he leaned himself up to look at the two cats outside his cell. "And I'll help in any way I can… however, can you explain to me… exactly what's going on between the two of you? And exactly who the heck this tom is?"

Zela chuckled quietly at her friend's words, and was glad that he was still the same tom, despite the abuse he withstood from Macavity. She then took the time to explain to Misto exactly what she had been through the past month, and exactly what was between Marceth and herself…

~^..^~


	26. The Falls and Rise of Hope

**OOC: A thousand apologies, oh patient Reviewers. Let's just say two plays at the same time don't give you very much time to work on an update. Needless to say, it was a long month… But I did eventually update! ^-^ I PROMISE! I will update sooner! If I don't… I'm going to allow a spoiler for the first reviewer who points it out! : ) On with the story!**

_The tuxedo tom smiled weakly... "And I'll help in any way I can… however, can you explain to me… exactly what's going on between the two of you? And exactly who the heck this tom is?"_

_Zela chuckled quietly at her friend's words, and was glad that he was still the same tom, despite the abuse he withstood from Macavity. She then took the time to explain to Misto exactly what she had been through the past month, and exactly what was between Marceth and herself…_

~^..^~

"Things could be worse_…" _Mungojerrie kept whispering to himself.

Every hour of darkness he felt himself alone in, Jerrie kept repeating this statement to build his spirit up. Yet now, it sounded more like an insane, ranting phrase that he wouldn't stop saying.

Nights in his pitch-black cell were growing worse and worse. There were at least twelve instances during the month of his capture that Mungojerrie's guards force-fed him. His vomit was almost surrounding him now, and he was sure that the blood-loss wasn't helping much. The truth was he was doing his best to vomit the scraps from his stomach as he constantly tried to make his body give up and die. Was his lack of nutrients going to be enough though? He felt weak in his joints, and always felt cold under his fur, but no matter what he did to lose the value of his life, Jerrie knew Macavity would keep him alive as long as possible. He wouldn't allow the tiger-striped tom to die while Zela remained untrustworthy. This much Jerrie was able to figure out by himself.

The selfish part of him wanted Zela to remain loyal to the Hidden Paw. Maybe then, his ex-boss would stop feeding him and have him killed. He could picture the moment of his death; dreamed of it even each night he got a full hour of sleep. He imagined one last, weak breath escaping his lungs before his lifeless body grew cold and motionless. But from his molted skeleton, his soul would rise into Heavyside Layer. He pictured peace and complete freedom from his numb pain. And standing there to greet him would be Teazer in all her beauty. They wouldn't have to part ways ever again. They could be happy in death. No more hate or destruction; Just Teazer and him forever.

But that vision slowly passed as his tormentors came into his cell on a daily basis. He had the belief they liked to switch the tortures during the week. Mondays and Wednesday s, were physical tortures. Tuesdays and Thursday were emotional torture, and Friday plus the weekends were free for mental tortures or interrogations. Jerrie had broken down weeks ago though, so the tortures were slowly being desensitized from him. It was maddening to think about the time alone with himself, though. He was beginning to sabotage himself, not only with the hunger and dehydration strikes, but with his thoughts of his state were what made him feel so pathetic and weak. Who was Mungojerrie now anyway? A broken-hearted kit of a tom that was deteriorating in both health and mental constitution. He felt like he had absolutely nothing to lose. Perhaps if he truly did die, it would at least give Zelaphelia the freedom she deserved. Why would anyone wonder why he was reaching so strenuously for death?

Jerrie's sagging eyes trailed routinely around his cell as he leaned his head back on the concrete wall. He passed the time by trying to wriggle his paws enough where his claw could reach to his wrists. So far, no results. Banging his head against the wall was also not a good option. He couldn't smash it against the concrete hard enough or long enough before someone stopped him from giving himself a concussion. Why was suicide so difficult to achieve in a place filled with death? As the tiger-striped tom kept this thought consistently through his brain, he felt himself drowning in darkness until his tormentors came precisely at their unpredictable time.

The silhouette of the larger one had yellow eyes that were so big, Jerrie still thought his victimized face was mirrored in them. "Guess what day it is today?"

"...The end o' the world, Oi 'ope…" Jerrie muttered tiredly.

The skinny, sleazy one standing at the door snickered darkly. "It's a Monday, Mungojerrie."

A Physical torture day. Figured. These were the worst days by far for the tiger-striped tom. These were the more painful and torturous, and were just for the interrogators' pleasures in torment. At least he knew that even if he did talk about the Jellicles, the best it would do him was a shorter time on his beating. Both his eyes were already bruised, along with his upper lip, his cheekbone, and he received several cut wounds along his jaw line and his body.

Hopefully he would feel a little numbness today…They might just kill him during the process…

~^..^~

How anyone in the Junkyard had survived this week, Munkustrap would never understand. There was absolutely nothing standing between the fate of this tribe and death. Though everyone was convinced that the blood-stained notes that belonged to Misto were what kept this tribe in existence. There were combinations on the endless number of crumbled sheets that proved to be good for both the pain and side-effects of the toxin. Jelly and Jenny's treatments were pointless painkillers compared to Mistoffelees' research.

And yet what was the point? The tuxedo tom was gone, and there were no good number of able-bodied cats that could go search for him. This was taking a serious blow to the tribe, especially Victoria, who hadn't been speaking to anyone since the discovery of her mate's kidnapping. And this was the final straw for Munkustrap and his family. Everyone knew that Misto was their last hope. He was the only one who could solve this mystery before anyone lost their lives. But now, the long term toxin was taking its toll on everyone. Plato and Etcetera were on the verge of death. Cori and Tanto were doing their best to keep up their healing powers, but their energy was being wasted.

And to think, all this time, Munk should have been the tom that protected this tribe from harm, yet all he could do now was give them false hope and patrol the borders. The remaining survivors were as frightened of staying in their home as any sane cat would. They spread themselves away from the medical den, covering the mouths from the air, sleeping in isolated areas. They were slowly dying from fear itself, even if they couldn't see it. Sharply inhaling Munkustrap watched them as kept to the edges of the clearing. Tugger and Teazer had become quite close, he noticed. It was painfully obvious why though. And no one was speaking about those situations if they valued their morale. At least they realized that something was wrong in the first place, and that was what Munkustrap was hoping for; someone to be able to realize their fatal problem and know how to fix it. Heavyside knew he couldn't.

That was why he was standing out there on the road outside the Junkyard. Life would be so much simpler if he were just gone. It was the only way the tribe could survive. The next leader to take over for him would be Alonzo, and since he was one of the few remaining toms that were not affected from the toxin, he would figure out a way to save them. It was the only way the ones he loved would survive.

The pavement of the roads were callusing the skin of his paws as he rubbed them into the ground nervously. One would think death would be much easier if it was quicker, but the London streets were not being kind to him tonight. "Come on…" he whispered, gritting his teeth and digging his claws into his palms, "Just kill me already…"

But in only a few minutes, that thought became louder to him. "Just kill me already, you bastard!" He shouted up into the night sky, "I've been standing here for who-knows-how-long! Can't you see that you've chosen the wrong tom for this job? I've failed, Everlasting Cat, I've failed everyone! My body… my mind… everything is so corrupted. There can't be much left of me to waste…" Munkustrap collapsed to the ground, forcing tension into his arms. He clawed the blacktop in anticipation. "Just end it now. I'm not doing anything. Just end it!"

No matter what he tried, there was always something blocking him from happiness. "I've tried… I've tried so hard… Can't you see all of my efforts are in vain? My family is going to die! My mate will die… my friends… my little girls … Don't take them away from me; just take me away from them…Can't you tell I deserve it…?"

And at that moment, when he said this, Everlasting Cat must have heard him. A tremor throughout the ground began rising in its vibrations. There was almost the sound of wind filling Munkustrap's ears as they twitched around wildly. All of his instincts were telling him to run, but his feelings were making his perspective quite clear. Munkustrap wanted this to end. He wanted the sweet relief of death to hit him like a rainstorm. And it was coming. Death was coming somewhere between forty and fifty miles per hour.

…Yet as the brightness of the headlights flashed over his forehead, Munkustrap felt an impact hit him…

~^..^~

As swift and harsh as Tugger's approach was, there were no other options in saving Munkustrap. The Maine Coon had only caught sight of him by chance when Teazer and he were going for a walk. It was almost unbelievable when he caught sight of Munkustrap standing in the middle of the midnight road with a monstrously large car speeding toward him.

An immediate reaction bolted through Tugger, knowing that he needed to save his brother from this peril. He pounced at the silver tabby, clear of the vehicle within a few moments, which was now swerving from the sight of the cats on the road. Both Tugger and Munkustrap landed hard on the paved road. He fell forward; blood covered the raw blisters of Tugger's paws. Heavyside, did it sting. Yet he ignored the engrossing pain for now, and focused on his brother who had his face plummeted into the road.

The silver tabby groaned hoarsely, shutting his eyes tight. Tugger weakly stood up and dragged his brother over to the sidewalk. Teazer stood on the other side of the road with her paws covering her mouth." Is he okay?" she shouted.

The Maine Coon shook his head as he carefully flipped Munk on his back. "I don't know!" He finally answered, seeing the fresh scrapes covering the right side of the silver tabby's face.

Tugger winced at the sight of his brother and inhaled deeply, "Oh Heavyside, Munkus, what the hell were you thinking…?"

Munkustrap only let out a faint groan in reply. Yet his dull eyes were openly staring at Tugger's face. There was guilt omitting from the pools of light blue as they began to glaze over in tears. "Tug…" he whispered shakily, "I'm sorry…"

"What were you doing, Munk?" he asked gently, though it was too obvious to even say. Why Tugger was forcing his brother to say the words was a mystery to him. Maybe he wanted the silver tabby to realize his own stupidity.

Munkustrap exhaled quietly as he leaned his head by his brother's arm and started shaking. "…I was… I…." But to his surprise, Munkustrap wasn't speaking anymore. In fact, he wasn't even moving. He was taking on a bizarre attitude of silence.

Tugger raised an eyebrow as he put a paw on his brother's shoulder. "What is it, Munk?"

The silver tabby didn't answer his brother. Instead, he took on the awkward habit of convulsing next to him. Tugger frowned deeply as he moved away from his brother and watched him momentarily shaking through his body before sitting still for a few seconds. "Oh no…" Tugger murmured shortly.

It couldn't be. His brother had been probably the most stressed out tom in the Junkyard, and yet he had remained the strongest. Or so the tribe thought. Yet there was no way that he gave into his weakness in the worst way possible. Was Munkustrap being infected by the toxin? It couldn't be…

"Munkustrap, you have to talk to me. Please. Talk to me. Tell me to go do something. Yell at me! Say something, Straps!"

The begging and pleading would not suffice for the weakened silver tabby tom. The silent convulsing wouldn't stop, the moans of anguish were beginning, and obvious signs were beginning to show.

Turning his head up, Tugger stared at Teazer, who was still standing there in confusion. "Tugger…?" she called warily.

"Get Alonzo! Munkustrap's infected!" Those last words were teased in his voice like a fatal blow. Their strongest tribe member had fallen to the mercy of this disease. It was causing so much damage to Munkustrap, that it honestly hadn't been surprising. And yet… here he was, surviving a suicide only to be crazed with the maddening side-effects of the toxin.

Teazer sprinted back to the Junkyard, disappearing into the darkness. "Hang in there, Munk…" Tugger muttered encouragingly as they both waited in the darkness. But the Maine Coon was losing his courage as time quickly ticked by, knowing his brother was now potentially a dead tom ….

~^..^~

As it turned out, Interrogators got more access around the Warehouse than guards did. Marceth was soon discovering there were quite a few little-known-facts in his home than he had been aware of. The system that the Henchcats ran was extremely competitive, yet at the same time, a simple misdirection of duty could throw the balance of the henchcats' workforce in a loop. Yet anything the Napoleon of Crime wanted the Henchcats to know, it would immediately be given to them through their own messaging system. The head interrogators already knew that he was to start training with them the day after tomorrow. Marceth just decided to tell them that he wanted to work ahead of time, which he knew he would pay for with the time he had with Zela.

But he had to put that aside if he wanted her to stay safe… that didn't work so well when she started following him half way around the halls just to make sure they had a plan. She had the same strategic, logical side as her father when it was needed. The gold-red queen was acting different, strangely, as if she had some sort of motivation to be alive. As good as it was to see her happier… Marceth couldn't help thinking that it wasn't his presence that was causing that. She had her Jellicle friend now…right after he finally was able to admit his feelings to her. They had had the most erotic, passionate night of their lives, and it all seemed to be ruined now… this was a chance for her to leave the Warehouse… Why was he helping her?

_You want her happy… _The tortoiseshell tom reminded himself. _She's your _mate._ You want her happy… _ He turned his head to Zela, who was still walking down the hallway with him.

She was looking forward and spoke her words quietly. "So, you're sure you can get in with the interrogators?"

"Positive." He replied calmly, looking at her with a slight smile.

"Good. And be sure to find out where they're putting him… Why would they torture him on a daily basis though?"

Marceth shrugged, "It's the way they do things. Torture prisoners on a daily basis, trying to get their jollies out of pain… Interrogators are quite sadistic when they want to be."

Zela snorted as she looked up at him. "What convinced my father to promote you to an Interrogator?" she teased lightly.

He playfully rolled his eyes at her and nudged her. "I'm stealthy and rugged and far too awesome for the Cells?"

"I think you forgot incredibly handsome…" she countered with a wry smile.

Marceth grinned at her, quickly looking around before nuzzling her head. "Thanks, Zel… keep it quiet though, I don't want anyone else knowing you think I'm so amazing out in public."

"Well aren't you humble?" she joked, grinning back at him.

Marceth chuckled as he looked back in front of them. "Oh yes, definitely!" he replied, "You know how humble I can be. I'm a piece of humble pie."

Zelaphelia laughed, but tried to keep her tone down. After a quick chuckle she looked up at him with the same happy smile that he loved seeing. She had such a wonderful smile. It was always genuine and good. It almost compared to the look of her mystical eyes. "All joking aside, Marceth… spies are made spies for a reason… let's get this done and we can talk tonight, okay?"

"…You're right…" he said, peering around once to see if any henchcats were actually around, looking at them together. "Yet tonight doesn't seem to have much privacy…" Marceth sighed as he thought angrily about Mistoffelees being in the Cells now… the only private place he and Zela had… now it was the place where the Jellicles would plot their escape…

Zela just smiled again, rubbing her shoulder against his for a short second. Far too short for Marceth… Damn that this relationship had to be secret. "We'll find a way around it." She assured, smiling up at him.

With her positivity right then, the tortoiseshell tom smiled back at her, and they had another moment of pure peace.

Yet those moments were beginning to grow shorter and shorter as a guard instantly stopped them at the end of the hall. "This is as far as _she _is allowed to go." He stated bitterly.

Both Marceth and Zela frowned at him. Curse the restricted areas. Turning to the gold-red queen slightly, Marceth nudged his head back, motioning her to leave. She gave a begrudging nod and silently left his side. It was hurting him not to be able to show his feelings about her outside of the Cells… but it would just get them both in trouble, and he was going to do his best to enjoy his time with Zela for as long as he could.

"I'm here for the next interrogation." He told the henchcat on guard. The two toms stared at each other shortly before the henchcat nodded and let him pass through the next hall.

Marceth moved quickly through this new hallway, committing the look of it to memory. Surely no guard had been able to see this place. Marceth knew he should consider himself lucky to be chosen for this job, even though the setting was still very morbid. The air was lingering the scent of death; crisp, fresh death. These darkened halls held only the faint torch lights on the wall. Every door he passed had several metal locks on it. There was a buzz in his ear, which the Tortoiseshell tom figured was the screams of prisoners. He ignored that though. He was so desensitized already to the pain of his home that he didn't mind the small traces of screams.

Finally, he arrived at the end of the hall, pausing as two toms dragged a weak, shackled tom with faded black and orange stripes into the room at the dead end. Marceth's eyes narrowed as they pushed him through the door violently. "Get a move on, Jellicle…" a henchcat snapped.

A Jellicle; the striped tom had to be the only one in these maximum security prisons. Marceth blinked before swiftly running to his fellow henchcats. "Excuse me, is this tom going to be interrogated?"

The one that looked older gave Marceth a grim nod, yet also gave him a curious look. The Tortoiseshell cleared his throat. "I'd like to watch… for experience."

There wasn't any argument to this, besides the few murmurs between the other toms about now having to watch out for a kit and a prisoner. Marceth just rolled his eyes from behind as he shut the interrogation room's door. He had learned to ignore jokes about his age. And being weak. And not being too clever. Negativities grew old when someone grew up with them, and Marceth was no exception. Leaning back against the wall, Marceth watched as the prisoner tom was tied down to a post, his paws bound tightly enough that they weren't even able to wriggle. Surely he had to be losing circulation.

There wasn't much about this tom. He looked like the typical weakling Jellicle that Jezabella had taught him and other trainees about. His features looked tired and pained, as if he was giving up the will to live. This was seriously the tom that Zela wanted to save? He was a recreant henchcat that Macavity would have had killed weeks ago. Marceth watched silently as the toms circled the tom aimlessly, unwinding a long whip into its long, snake-like form.

"Mungojerrie, aren't you tired of this yet?" the interrogator said with a harassing tone, "Life would be so much easier if you just told us what you know…"

The tom weakly stared up at his captor, giving him an icy glare. "Got nothin' ta say, mate… ya moight t'as well kill me…"

The henchcat just chuckled and dug his claws into Jerrie's shoulder. "You know we can't do that, Jerrie… it wouldn't be as much fun…" The dark-pelted tom leaned up from Jerrie's side and took a few large steps away from him. He drew the whip back, prepping himself before lashing the tiger-striped tom's back. A dark red line extended from Mungojerrie's shoulder blade to his mid-spine, blood visibly running through his coat. He didn't react beyond a twinge of pain.

It was right then that Marceth realized that Mungojerrie's backside was covered in the slashes of a whip. Surely, the first strike wouldn't be that much pain for him. The next few cracks of the whip had the same reaction, though he did notice a few winces after the process grew longer. The henchcat didn't surrender the torture until he finally got a pained groan out of Mungojerrie.

"I bet you're just _aching _to see that little queen in the afterlife, eh?" the henchcat said at a pause, continuing with his cruel, mocking way of provoking his prisoner.

Jerrie let out a pitiful hiss and growled at the floor. "Don' you dare talk abou' 'er…"

He got a punch in the face for that answer. The tiger striped tom gave another pained groan and kept his bruised eyes to the floor.  
"You didn't answer my question." The interrogator hissed, taking a firm hold on his prisoner's bloody pelt, "Why don't you try again…?" He held his claw of Jerrie's throat threateningly.

Jerrie just inhaled deeply as he struggled to raise his head to the henchcat's face, "Oi'll answah when oi'm dead."

Once the words came out of his mouth, Marceth knew Jerrie would regret it soon after. The henchcat snarled fiercely and placed his claw at the top of the striped tom's cheekbone. With one movement, he sliced his claw up through Jerrie's bruised face. The sharpness of his nails tore through Jerrie's flesh. Momentarily he needed to cease cutting because the largest claw had been stifled by the bone in Jerrie's nose. Yet still, as the prisoner tom screeched a horrid, agonized cry. The henchcat was able to scratch up to the peak of Jerrie's brow, and Marcetheus finally had to turn his head away, genuinely terrified of seeing the multiple dribbles of blood stream down the striped tom's face.

"You'll be dead when I saw you'll be!" the henchcat snarled furiously. He snapped the whip again, this time across Mungojerrie's side.

Marcetheus grimaced at the sight, turning himself fully away from the torture session. He would never understand how any prisoner took that, nor would he understand how he would stomach such gruesome affairs. Quickly and quietly, the tortoiseshell tom left the interrogator to finish his work… or rather, his fun. Zela would want to know about this, and right away…

~^..^~

During the time that Marceth disappeared through the restricted areas, Zela and Misto used all of it to catch up on what had been going on. They spent what precious, few hours that had together by covering on what they had recently lived through. Misto was describing grew filled with detail and started to make her feel guilty about the tribe's suffering. Zela was wishing she was dead sometimes. Maybe if she had died a while ago, none of this mayhem would have occurred. Yet Misto made it clear that nothing could be done for this situation. She was alive, and she had to stay that way if she were to get everyone out of this mess.

Though they tried to be blunt, most topics were awkwardly avoided, especially those concerning Tugger. Zela was thankful that he wasn't bringing up the type of subjects that were upsetting. However, his curiosity possessed him when their conversation ever hung over Marceth. She didn't say it out loud, but it was becoming annoying how frequently her new, unofficial mate was brought up. Misto seemed to realize that in her thoughts, though. He had the smug look on his face that proved his guilt.

Misto fought hard to contain his smirk. "So… I already know about him being your guard … and your somewhat secret relationship… and now your mateship …but I do have another question for you."

Zela raised an eyebrow at him, looking unimpressed by his statement. She sighed quietly, deciding to humor him until his curiosity was satisfied. "Ask, then…" she said tiredly.

"…Do you trust him?"

Zela paused momentarily before snorting, "I don't think I'd be with him if I didn't."

Misto waved his hand and readjusted himself. "Yeah, yeah, I get that," he dismissed, "But what I mean is do you trust him to help us? Help the Jellicles? Zela, you have to keep in mind that he_ is_ a henchcat."

Zela sighed quietly and looked at her friend seriously, "Misto…he's different. I've thought about it all several times. There's a chance he's lying to me. There's a chance he's just using me for his own advantage…Heck, I even thought he might be doing this to spy on me for my Father…I've ran every scenario through my head, Misto… but somehow… when I look into his eyes… all of those doubts disappear. Misto, you must know that look in the eye when you see Victoria… It feels so gentle and loving… and I know he's not going to be the kind of person to betray me. He loves me… He genuinely loves me Misto… Honestly, I don't think someone has cared about me that deeply."

After finishing this, Zela looked up at the tuxedo tom tentatively, wondering if he could feel anything empathy towards her feelings. She was so sure that he would understand the love that she felt… but she'd been wrong before… The gold-red queen found herself relieved when she saw a small smile on the corner of his lips. Still, he looked like he was doubtful in a way. "Well, Zela, if you're really sure about it… then I trust your judgment… just remember who the enemy is, okay? Also, Zel, I think you should know something about Marceth… I don't know if you've realized it yet."

Zelaphelia stared at him, wanting to question him on what this vague sentence meant, but before they could continue the rest of their conversation, Marcetheus slammed the Cells' door and entered inside with a bright smile. "Well, I found him!" he announced happily.

As concerned as Zela was for Misto's statements, she found comfort the moment her mate walked into the room; his dark coat, speckled and blotched in gold and auburn markings made her feel like the sun was looking at her. The gold-red queen stood up from the bars outside of Misto's cell and quickly greeted him with a kiss. If Mistoffelees wasn't there, it would have been a perfect moment. It also made her understand that she was clinging to these moments as much as she could, fearing that whatever information he had could help her, Misto, and Jerrie escape this Hell… but leaving Hell meant leaving _Marceth_ behind in the fire.

Trying to push these sad thoughts away, Zela looked up at Marceth, who looked positively ecstatic. She chuckled quietly and led him back to Misto's cell. The tuxedo tom gave her a look of uncertainty, but eventually, he loosened up as Marcetheus began to unravel a descriptive narrative of everything he had seen. The most important thing about that story was the only thing Zela was concerned about. Jerrie was alive…

~^..^~


	27. Fight or Flight

_Zela looked up at Marceth, who looked positively ecstatic. She chuckled quietly and led him back to Misto's cell. The tuxedo tom gave her a look of uncertainty, but eventually, he loosened up as Marcetheus began to unravel a descriptive narrative of everything he had seen. The most important thing about that story was the only thing Zela was concerned about. Jerrie was alive…_

_~^..^~_

It was the smallest population in the meeting den since the beginning of the Jellicle tribe. Tugger didn't know much about how the tribe meetings went ever, since he was the one who barely ever went to one. But this one was demanded on him; not by his silver tabby brother, but by himself. Tugger knew he had to start concerning himself with the things going on in the tribe. And so far, without both their leaders, things weren't going great.

The meeting den of the Jellicles was as empty as it had ever been. Normally, the kits wouldn't be allowed during a meeting like this, but considering the residence in the Junkyard was decreasing in health, it was better to let them in. Alonzo was the one who had called the meeting, so he, Cassandra, and their squeaking, happy kit, Vitalee came first to the meeting.

Bomba was still being mildly casual about everything. Though a fool could tell she was shaken up. Tugger hadn't spoken to Bomba ever since their argument about Zela. He was willing to keep it that way, and she didn't seem opposed to the idea either. Teazer had been much better company to him, which was hopefully why she sat next to him on the meeting den. The circumstances they were under were progressing as a better friendship between them. Tugger could tell they were both growing up now, especially during this crucial time for the Jellicles.

The last of those small kittens who had once adored him were the pregnant Victoria, in a depressive and angered state, along with her sister, Electra. Both queens never looked more serious than they were now. From the loss of her mate and her parents, Victoria was no long the sweet, innocent little queen that everyone knew and loved. She had turned into something more dark and sad. It was a cleaner version of Grizabella. Tugger sighed, watching the sisters seat themselves across from him.

Teazer's eyes moved toward the entrance, "Well ain't that an interestin' soight…" she murmured to turned his head, noticing a feeble, shaking, old tom being led inside by the large Bustopher Jones and timely Skimbleshanks. They sat down carefully by the ground.

The Maine Coon blinked curiously. "Wow…" he murmured, "I wouldn't have expected Gus to survive this."

"An' yet, 'e did…" Teazer breathed. After a moment, the long silence ended with the light pawsteps of Coricopat and Tantomile, never missing a beat as they swiftly walked to their places. Tugger almost felt sorry for them, their healing powers growing weaker the more they used them. Yet if they didn't, Plato or Etcetera would be the first victims of this virus. It was only a matter of time until they would have no more power left to give.

And there it was; the left over tribe members. Ten cats, one only a kit who could barely form words. Vitalee let out a small squeal, which seemed to put the meeting into a brighter mood. Cassandra gently shushed her kit and held her close to her waist. Alonzo, who had taken the place where Old Deuteronomy once sat, commenced the meeting.

"This is getting out of control," he began tiredly, "And I know you all know this…What has been going on in our tribe is drastic, and we barely have anything left to defend ourselves with… As you all know, both our leaders, both caretakers, and two powerful mystics are no longer of use to us… Rescuing Mistoffelees is next to impossible at this moment… And so we only have a few options left, because soon our tribe will reach death and near extinctions…

"So what do we do? Soon, the antibiotics we're using will no longer be of use, Tantomile and Coricopat will be too weak to help them. No offense, my friends. And as of now, even though Mistoffelees gave us the mystery of his notes, we have no cure." Alonzo sighed softly and closed his eyes, "I have only one solution in mind, and none of you will like it."

A few cats, Teazer and Tugger including, leaned in to hear the new tribe leader's words. Alonzo looked up at the wary eyes around him, sorrow deepening itself in his look, "…The only way to ensure this tribe's survival is if we leave the Junkyard, and leave the rest behind."

There was immediate outrage. Bombalurina shot up out of her seat, "We cannot leave them here to die!" she spat.

"They are our family, Alonzo!" Skimbleshanks bellowed, "I will not leave my mate, dying or no. If we are truly loyal Jellicles, then we will either help our fellow Jellicles survive, or we will die with them.  
Cassandra gave Skimble a glare, "And risk the life of more children dying? " she said, her stare moving down to Vitalee, who was confused with the tension in the room, "It's fight or flight, Skimbleshanks, and we can no longer fight this!"

Skimble glared, "_My _children are dying, Cassandra! And yours will not! She's a bloody Mystic!"

Alonzo stood up out of his seat, trying to collect the anger in the den, "Listen! Listen to me, please. Now, I know this isn't an ideal plan. Our leaders are here, and our families are here. Skimble, I would never want to impose on your judgment. So I don't blame you for not wanting to leave. Bomba, you have Demeter to watch out for. Tugger, you have Munkustrap and Deuteronomy. The list goes on… But my friends, I have a family that needs help. I want my child not to live in this misery… Please don't get the idea that I want to abandon anyone, but I care too much for Cassandra and my daughter to put them in harm's way."

The silence seemed to drag on and on. It wasn't for a few minutes until Teazer stood up, "Alonzo," she spoke softly, "…Everyone that Oi love is gone… And all I have is whot's lef' ta this troibe. So if you are ta go… then Oi'll accompany you."

Tugger looked at Teazer, his only companion, the only one he could really trust. If she left, he would have no way to cope. He had successfully lost the love of his life, no longer had a reason to stay in the Junkyard. Everyone he loved was dying. He stood up himself, "I'll come to."

Teazer looked at him sharply, "Tugger, no!"

"Everyone I love is dying, Teazer…" Tugger muttered, "I can't do anything for them."

Alonzo looked between them before standing on his feet, "Listen, I'm not asking you all to just get up and leave as well! Skimble, you made your position quite clear to me."

Skimble nodded gruffly. Alonzo sighed and continued, "And you know if we had any way to decipher what Misto wrote, we could figure out everything."

With a scoff, Bomba leaned back in her seat. "It'd be better if Misto was actually around to tell us…" she mused.

"Agreed," Victoria's small, yet strained voice said.

The den fell silent for a few moments with Victoria's one word affection the tense mood between the bickering Jellicles. Maybe it wasn't her word that moved them, but that it was the first thing she had said during this meeting. Victoria was one of the many that went through Hell and back. But her hell was much worse. Besides her younger sister and an irresponsible Uncle Tugger, Victoria didn't have anyone left to take care of her; and she still had kits coming. If they were going to leave the Junkyard, Victoria would have some of the best reasons to join them.

The silence lingered on, until a soft, dusty mumbling was heard. Heads gently started to turn over to Old Gus, who was fiddling with his paws, mumbled something quietly. Alonzo leaned forward slightly, "What is that, Gus?"

Gus turned his head up, the blindness in his eyes staring up at the ceiling. "There is no power left in the Junkyard…" he wheezed in his shriveled voice, "But there are ways to gain power back. And the only way now is to fight back…"

Alonzo sighed and rubbed his face with his paw, "Gus, we can't just fight. There aren't many of us left that can do something like that. We can't go into a battle!"

The told tom's pale eyes moved and focused on the source of Alonzo's voice. "Not a battle. Not violence. The best way to move a rock out of your way is to move yourself around it. If you want to fight off this mad disease, you must avoid it yourself. "

Alonzo rolled his eyes, "What do you think we've been doing, Gus?" He got a few glares from everyone. No one yelled at Gus like that, no matter how in-trouble the tribe was in.

Gus shook his head gently, "You are blinded, Alonzo, because, like many, you are afraid. That is why you wish to run. But the cowardly will gain no satisfaction in their lives… not even in security." It took him a few minutes to regain his breath as he started coughing hysterically. If it wasn't for the fact that everyone knew Old Gus had deteriorating health, they would all assume the disease was coming over him as well. Gus looked up again, his features wary, "Dark powers are rising. And the proper thing to do is not to give into cowardly instincts. In Fight or flight, a Jellicle will fight until his last breath, so was agreed by the first leaders long ago. If you do not stay in the fight, then you are no longer a Jellicle."

Tugger smacked his forehead, "Gus, how are we supposed to fight them when there's no one to help us?"

Gus stared at Tugger blankly. "Then search for the one that will help you! Get one out, you get the other out… You all know the only one who can save us must be brought back."

Alonzo rolled his eyes, "Impossible! No one can simply walk into Macavity's domain and expect to be handed his prisoner!"

The old tom stared at Alonzo before sighing, "You undermine the possibilities, Alonzo…" he muttered in a hoarse voice. He went into another coughing fit, and stopped speaking.

This left the new bi-colored leader perplexed, and also had a debate spark between tribe members. The confusion and tension was simply growing larger. Yet as the bickering carried on, Tugger knew he was carrying something from Gus's words. The only reason they thought getting into Macavity's grounds was impossible was because no one had successfully done so yet. If he could be that one person to find Misto... then there would be no need to leave. The cure would be here. The tribe would be saved… but how to do it was the key. Tugger remembered the first time he tried to get into the Warehouse. He didn't even make it past the gate before being attacked by his ginger brother. Obviously, this was going to take a little planning, but Gus was right. Sneaking in and stealing Mistoffelees back wasn't impossible. Someone just needed the courage to do it.

Silently, Tugger glanced over at Teazer and whispered that he was leaving and would be back a little later. He had a new confidence in himself, and it would be better to try this alone. Though he realized he didn't take in the consequences of failure, and being alone in this would increase his risk of being caught. Sighing quietly, Tugger decided that he was going to risk this as well as everything else. Leaving the fight of the Den Meeting behind, the Maine Coon slid out of the Junkyard, heading for the west end of London….

~^..^~

"How can you stand being without magic so long?" Misto inquired, a frustration coming over him has his left paw occasionally twitched. He was itching to use magic, yet he couldn't. There wasn't a time he tried that he wasn't shocked with thousands of energy bolts. And there didn't seem to be a way out of this dreadful place unless they got Mungo free.

Zela just grinned at him, "One learns to live without it in spare time. Besides, I've been practicing it with my father."

Their latest idea to escape was as thin as air, though. For two powerful mystics that simply didn't have use of their telepathy, escape wasn't too difficult to accomplish. The trick was bringing Jerrie and the cure with them without Macavity causing repercussions.

Marceth was beginning his first day of training with the Interrogators. Hopefully, he'd be back, and maybe she'd be able to convince him to come with. Misto had already explained that it would be hard for him to transition to another home, especially since he spent his whole life at the Warehouse. But Zela knew she could make it work. It would just take a little time, and eventually, Marceth would grow to like the Junkyard. And Demeter would like him, surely. Munkustrap may be iffy to let a henchcat in the tribe, but he would come around eventually when he knew how in love she was with Marceth. Everything would be perfect once a concrete plan was put into place.

"How about this," she began, sitting right outside of Misto's cell, "Marceth will take Jerrie back from an interrogation. That way, Marceth can bring him here, we transfer out of here, and you create the cure for the tribe!"

Misto stared at her for a second, than stared down at the floor of his den. "Nah... Macavity would easily be able to detect that. We'd have to sneak out of here without magic."

"But that's a worse idea! Henchcats are literally crawling around his territory! There's barely a soul that can get past the gate without being taken to Macavity."

Misto thought about that for a moment, "Maybe so… but didn't Macavity say that there's a mental shield for the Warehouse? He never said anything about outside of it…"

The gold-red queen stared at her friend before grinning largely. "We get outside, and that will give us enough time to perform a transference spell. We'll get back to the Junkyard without Macavity even detecting us!"

The idea was suddenly forming into a great plan, but Mist suddenly frowned. "… What's going to stop Macavity from attacking the 'yard again, Zela? All he needs to do is alter his poison, and the same thing could happen again… Only this time, he could kill us…"

"Then… we need to destroy what he developed," Zela decided, "He showed me where he keeps the brewing of that vile toxin… We destroy that, and then it would break his spirit. He wouldn't attack us for a long time."

At first, Misto wasn't sure what to think about that, but he just grinned after a moment and nodded tentatively. "Maybe…" he murmured. The gold-red queen didn't have to read his mind to know what he was thinking. Destroying his work could break Macavity's spirit… but it could also make him angrier. It was a risk, but if it meant escape from her psychotic father, Zela was willing to take it.

"Good, so it's a simple plan. Marceth brings Jerrie to the Cells, after I leave my next lesson, I go into his toxin chemistry room and destroy it, then we run out of this hellhole like its on fire!" She was feeling excited now. After weeks of torture, they were finally going to go home. She inhaled sharply and wrapped her arms over her stomach. "Everything will be good again…"

"Zela… I hate to burst your bubble, but we do have one more problem." Misto looked at her glumly before looking down at his lap, "We still need to convince Marcetheus to stay on our side. He seems… very tentative about betraying his boss…"

Zela sighed and leaned back against the bars of his cell. "He'll help us, Misto. Trust me."

Misto smoothed his paw through one of the bars and put it on her shoulder, "Zela, I want to have confidence in you right now, but Marceth is… Well, he's nice, but he's not… What I'm trying to say is that… he's too… unpredictable."

"Unpredictable?" she repeated, swiveling his head towards her best friend, "He's my mate! I know he's going to be okay with this, and he will leave my father for me, if he loves me." The gold-red queen purred gently as she thought about living with Marceth in the Junkyard… There would be some initial awkwardness… but it would be amazing soon enough. "I love him, Misto… Don't spoil that for me…"

"…I just don't want you to get your hopes… too high… Zela, I wanted to tell you this before, but there's something about Marceth… something… Mystical."

The gold-red queen blinked and stared at her friend in confusion. "Mystical? … Misto, what are you saying? That he might be…a…?"

But yet again, they didn't get to finish that conversation. At that very moment, Marceth's keys were rustling outside of the cell door before it opened. In a matter of moments, Marceth came in, dragging a dirty, bleeding Maine Coon by the pelt.

Zela shot up into a standing position, her eyes wide with confusion. It couldn't be. What was he doing here? "Tugger!" She cried, quickly storming over to the two toms, "Marceth, let him go!"

Marceth looked at her curiously, "…Zela… this tom was found wandering around the gates! And your dad was very firm with me to get him to a cell immediately… said he was dangerous."

The gold-red queen growled and rolled her eyes, "Haven't you noticed he's said that about every Jellicle he's captured? Let go of him! He's… he's the other tom, Marceth."

Marceth stared at her, "'Other tom?'… Oh… The other tom before me…"

Zela paused when he quickly fell silent. She sighed, and gave him a gentle nod. It was definitely more of an awkward moment for them. Marceth carelessly dropped Tugger on the floor and walked back to his chair. The gold-red queen gave her mate a slight hiss before going to help Tugger. She wrapped her arms around his middle and pulled him up on her lap. He was unconscious, for one thing. His handsome features seemed… worn out. It was much worse, seeing him all cut up and bruised. Macavity's scent was around him, along with henchcat. She let out a low growl as her brow furrowed. He had been cruelly abused, just as Misto had been. "What's supposed to happen to him?" she asked quietly to Marceth.

Marceth glanced at her before staring down at the ground, clutching his paw regretfully. "…Macavity wants to send him to torture… then death within the week."

The gold-red queen gasped. No. This was his brother. Macavity wouldn't do this to his own brother. But then again, Macavity hated most Junkyard cats. It wasn't a surprise he wanted to kill Tugger. It was another way to wound her spirit. She looked up at her tortoiseshell mate, desperate pleading in her eyes. "We need to get out of here, Marceth, and we need your help."

Marceth's gold eyes slowly moved toward her. His looks almost seemed sympathetic toward her. Maybe he would do this. Maybe Misto was wrong. Even with Tugger in the picture, Marceth would not fail her. But before he said anything in response, Zela felt the Maine Coon stir in her arms lightly. She looked down, seeing his deep, auburn eyes open, comfort swarming in them. "Zela…" he wheezed, "Love…"

The gold-red queen was so surprised by his sudden awakening that she didn't know Marceth suddenly fuming with hatred and jealousy. Zela glanced at him with a slightly raised eyebrow. What was wrong with him? "Marceth…"

He didn't say a word to her. Instead, he picked Tugger up by the mane, threw his close-fisted paw back, and punched him hard in the jaw. "You stay away from my mate!"

~^..^~

In the smaller rooms of the Warehouse, Macavity was playing a higher ranked henchcat at a nice, friendly game of Billiards. This tom's name was Gillion, and the Hidden Paw almost treated him like an equal. If anyone could beat him in a game of Billiards at least once, then he was alright to Macavity.

The ginger tom glanced at the brown tabby before he lined up his shot with the striped 11ball. He quickly drew his cue stick back, and then applied the force over the cue ball. In one shot, the 11 ball lightly struck the striped 10 ball and sunk it into the pocket. In another second, the 11 ball followed into another pocket. Macavity smirked and stood at his full height, his smug look directed towards Gillion. The brown tabby snorted, "Nice carom, Boss. However, your ass will be kicked in the end. No one does those shots and gets away with it in the end."

Macavity just snorted and went to see where he could make his next move. "Keep telling yourself that, Gillion. Next thing you know, the eight ball is going to be stuffed down your throat."

Gillion rolled his eyes, but slightly smirked, "Sure thing, Mac."

As Macavity went to line up his next shot, his eye caught sight over a jet-black tom, and pure white queen. Macavity chuckled and leaned up again, setting his cue stick down on the Billiards table. "Looks like I'll have to finish your ass-kicking after this meeting, Gillion. If you would, please leave us."

The brown tabby glanced between his boss and his two agents. He nodded, seeming annoyed by the fact that he would have to work again, but reluctantly, he left the room, leaving Macavity alone with his agents. The ginger tom smirked walking up toward them. "Ah, Wynestelle and Cesaro. Please, sit down. I'd like to congratulate you on your success in Kingsten."

The ginger tom quickly sat down in a chair, waiting impatiently for his agents to take a seat across from him on the couch. He had known for a long time that the two of them were very talkative when he wasn't around, though he tried not to think of it that much, since they were quiet when he wanted them to be.

"I'm glad you could both come to see me," Macavity commented. Not that they had much of a choice, "And I must commemorate you both for directing Zelaphelia back to me."

They both nodded, and they both also stayed silent from that. The ginger tom smirked at them, "You two seem nervous for pleasing your boss," he observed.

Wynestelle glanced up at him before staring back down at her feet. "You see, we've been talking, Sir…"

Macavity stared at them curiously. What on Earth could they possibly be thinking about that was important enough to bring up in front of him? "About what?" he asked, actually curious.

Cesaro looked at his boss quietly, "Wynestelle and I would like to retire from your services…"

Macavity gaze didn't move for a moment before turning into a slight glare. Not many cats told him this, unless they had some sort of death wish. No one left his services until he said they could. "Excuse me, my _employees, _but under what circumstances gives you the right to sell yourselves out of my Empire? Did I not do everything for you and that pathetic boy of yours?" The ginger tom stood up, now looking more frightening, "Give me one good reason not rip both your throats out right now…" He hissed, taking a step towards them.

Wynestelle pressed herself against the couch, whimpering quietly, "Sir… we have a payment we can give you in our place…"

That stopped his anger, and suddenly made him even more curious and confused. "Really? Payment… Well then, we may still have something to talk about don't we? What kind of payment?"

Cesaro leaned forward, slightly grinning at his boss as there was no longer any fear in his eyes. "Our son."

"… What kind of payment would that be?" Macavity muttered. Marcetheus was truly nothing to him but his new interrogator. He was less than dirt.

Wynestelle suddenly gained bits of her backbone as she leaned by her mate. "There is something about us that we have not told you sir… We thought you might… well… find us more of a threat. You see, my family's side had mystic blood…"

Macavity stared at them, but then nodded, acting as though he was more patient than he felt. "Go on…"

Cesaro continued for his mate, "Her family's blood is in our boy. Marcetheus is a mystic… We never said anything, since he didn't show until he was a kit… so we kept his powers hidden from him… demeaned him as best we could so he wouldn't have any scourge of his emotions…"

"So…" Macavity began, "You both kept this thought from me, thinking it would spare your own lives? I think I can see what I hired you for…" The ginger tom leaned back, suddenly growing an interest in the extra mystic in his Warehouse. "So, what can your boy do, then? Or don't you know?"

They both stared down at their feet. "Marceth can… drain energy," Wynestelle murmured quietly, "More specifically, from other mystics."

Macavity raised an eyebrow. "What brought you to that conclusion, then?"

"When we first came here, you examined him as a young kit, made him cry, then you fell asleep after you gave him back to Wyne… We took that as a yes that we were hired…"

Macavity's eyes widened as he suddenly recalled that memory. He had forgotten about that, actually. He took one look at the squealing kit before practically being knocked out. "Only on Mystics, you say…" he murmured, a sudden smirk overcoming his face. Maybe that worthless tom wasn't as useless as he had first made him. He turned his head back to them, suddenly glaring again. "One mystical cat is not enough for your payment. I would be losing two agents, and would also be letting you get away with your treachery…" He hissed and stood up again, walking towards them.

Cesaro's eyes dilated in fear, "Sir, please, no!"

"I will allow… only one of you to leave my services. The other stays here, under my protection… I almost think I would prefer the boy's mother, though…"

Wynestelle stared at Macavity, both in fear and anxiety before looking at her mate in desperation. Obviously, she was not happy with his arrangement. Cesaro, being the coward Macavity first made him out to be, quickly stood up and walked around the couch. "Take her!" he cried.

The white queen looked back at him sharply, "Saro! You bastard!"

Macavity smirked at that. "No, no, no, Wynestelle. Trust me; this is a very brave move for your cowardly mate."

They both looked at him with looks of surprise. "What is that supposed to mean?" Cesaro said hesitantly.

Macavity smirk, "It means, as of now, you're not longer under my protection."

With a low growl, the Hidden Paw leaped forward over the couch, and tackled the jet-black tom to the ground. "This is the fate of traitors, my _ex-agent_," Macavity hissed. Before Cesaro could react, or even try to defend himself, Macavity quickly peeled away at the skin on his throat, slicing through the vein by his neck slowly until the light left the pathetic tom's eyes. The blood came gushing from his throat repulsively. Macavity stood up and kicked the lifeless body away from him. Wynestelle let out a scream, now completely petrified of what the ginger tom was going to do with her. The ginger tom smirked at her lustfully as he leaned forward against couch and lightly ran his bloody claws by her face, leaving the blood stains on her white fur. "Come, my dear Wynestelle. We need to discuss some… options for you, now that your mate is…deceased."

He ignored the tears on her face as she cried in pure, emotional agony. He grabbed hold of her scrawny pelt and dragged her down to his bedroom, quickly throwing her on the ground. Now that she was an ex-agent as well, there was only one good use for her, and he was going to make that clear as water to her. "Get on that bed, Wynestelle and lie still…"

~^..^~

**A/N: O.o How mean of Macavity, right? Don't feel too bad for them, though. They**_** did**_** betray our main character. ;) Anyway, I just wanted to say Hi! I know, I know, I took a long while to finish this chapter. To be fair, I have finals for three days next week. But I promise everyone, that once school ends for me, I'll be finishing this story over the summer. ;) Thanks, all!**


	28. Favors

**A/N: No excuse on the late update! Again!**

_"Zela…" [Tugger] wheezed, "Love…"_

_The gold-red queen was so surprised by his sudden awakening that she didn't know Marceth suddenly fuming with hatred and jealousy. Zela glanced at him with a slightly raised eyebrow…"Marceth…"_

_He didn't say a word to her. Instead, he picked Tugger up by the mane, threw his close-fisted paw back, and punched him hard in the jaw. "You stay away from my mate!"_

~^..^~

Zela wondered if she should be more surprised than shocked. She saw Tugger holding his mouth now, but the only thing the gold-red queen was really looking at was the anger seeping from Marceth's eyes. The action seemed to freeze her thoughts. She wanted to make sure Tugger was okay, but the second she saw that he was simply dazed by the punch in his face, she immediately went to chide her Marcetheus. "Marceth, what do you think you're doing?"

"This bastard isn't going to go near you." He growled, still glaring at Tugger.

Zela sighed roughly and put an arm on his shoulder. "Let him go, Marceth! Right now!"

It took a minute, but eventually Marceth glanced at her and his eyes softened. His grip loosened on Tugger's mane, and he dropped him on the dirt floor. Marceth looked at her with guilt in his eyes, but Zela simply ignored him and knelt down by Tugger's side. The Maine Coon hadn't realized what happened until he looked between Marceth and Zela. "W'a da he'l izz ziz guy's problem?"

Zela raised an eyebrow curiously at the question. It suddenly occurred to her that Tugger's cheek was bleeding profusely and he was holding a swollen lip. She hadn't thought that Marceth would hit Tugger strong enough to make him bleed! She turned her head to her mate and growled angrily, "You didn't have to hit him so hard!"

Tugger was still massaging his face, but he glared slightly at Marceth. "Din't hafta hi' me period…" He muttered.

The gold-red queen ignored his statement and stood up, storming back to Marceth. She still wasn't sure why he had done that, and she was still debating if she liked his masculinity or not. "Marceth, why did you hit him?" she asked angrily.

The Tortoiseshell tom stared at her blankly before looked at his feet. A hint of shame was present on his face, "I'm sorry, Zela… But he does not deserve to call you his love. He hurt you… and I would never do that to you. I don't understand why you wouldn't want me to treat him like a prisoner!"

Tugger finally stood up, though he looked dizzy, "Ze'wa, who is zis jowkah?"

Mistoffelees finally stood up in his cell, glaring at all three of them, "Would you all just calm down! And let me out of this damn cell!"

When Misto's comment registered, Marceth silently unlocked the door of his cell and sat back on his chair with a calm demeanor. Zela sighed and looked back at Tugger with a concerned look, "Are you okay?"

"Whad daws it luxs loike, Ze'wa?" He exclaimed with a self-righteous glare, "Nah why iz zat tom sayin' you'we his mayte?"

His were becoming understandable, thankfully. Zela decided to ignore the question entirely. She turned to Mistoffelees, "We need to move now. Who knows who else he'll catch! If we don't put our plan into action, Misto, we're doomed."

She glanced at her mate, who looked sulky again at the mentions of escape. She wanted him to come with her, dammit! What kind of mateship would it be if they weren't together? Mistoffelees noticed the flickering, silent tension between mates, and cleared his throat, "I agree." He replied, limping forward. Macavity was not being gentle to the mystical tom, that much was certain.

Tugger sat there with a befuddled look, and surprisingly, Marceth was sharing it. Zela watched her mate stand and walk up to her. "Zela, what is he talking about? What have you two been planning?"

The gold-red queen was thinking that Marceth would share her hope with him. For once, she was not taking the silly risks in her head. All her thoughts were on how life would be once they left this horrid place. She placed her paw on Marceth's arm and spoke softly, "Marceth, me and Misto have an escape plan, and it could easily be successful… but we need your help."

Marceth's brow furrowed discriminately, "…How?"

"It's all really simple," She began, looking so positive about what they were going to do, "I steal my father's antidote for the disease in the Junkyard. I hand it off to Misto, then you show Tugger and him back through the henchcat's way out; the one that you showed me. Then I'll be free to use my powers and leave. But the very first thing you have to do is get Jerrie here. Sneak him out. Become his guard and get him to the cells. Then we can all get out of here. What do you think?"

Marceth's eyes were still blank and unreadable for her. She was looking at him with hope in her eyes, the thought that her mate would have enough reason to go with this plan stuck in her mind. Yet a second later, all of that hope had disappeared. Right when she noticed the stone-cold look staring back at her. "There's one flaw in your plan: I'm not doing it."

At first, it was just a mild shock, but the thought quickly turned into anger. "What are you talking about?" she hissed, "Marceth, this is not my home, this is not _our _home. None of us are being held here willingly. We need to get out of here as soon as possible! Why won't you help us?"

"Why do you think Zela?" Marceth snapped back, "You keep talking in 'we' and 'us' but you're forgetting that this is still _my _home. I grew up here. My loyalties are remaining to my boss."

She stared at him, looking overly shocked, "…If you had been truly loyal to my father, you would have followed his directions. You wouldn't have spoken to me. Broken his rules. Mated with me!"

Tugger let out a low growl, and Zela could tell he finally connected everything after that sentence. "Your mate?" He growled, seemingly healed from his jaw injury, "You mated with a henchcat?"

Tugger was the most surprised out of anyone. Misto was staring down at his paws guiltily, since he already knew. The Maine Coon growled again, "You do realize the tribe could _really _call you a traitor now, don't you? They don't exactly smile at the tribe queens mating with Macavity's scum!"

Zela growled back at Tugger, "Don't call Marceth scum! He's much different…. Or at least I thought he was…" she turned back to Marceth, who wasn't looking happy at Tugger's comment. Zela sighed and stepped up close to him, "Just tell me what's wrong."

Marceth just sighed quietly, "I don't want you to go... You know that I love you, and I know what you're thinking. But the Jellicles will never accept a henchcat. And your old tomfriend has a good point. Now that we're together, your tribe might not be as accepting of you."

She glared sat his words, and stared at her feet begrudgingly, "This is no home. The Junkyard actually treats everyone who lives there with respect, and you know what? Macavity has you all in a pyramid, where you all work for him at the bottom, and he's at the top. It's not a good way to do things, Marceth. Henchcats blindly follow him, and then get hurt. I don't know why you suddenly want to not help us, but it's not the right decision to make, Marceth!"

Tugger choked on a laugh and rolled his eyes, "What do you expect from a henchcat, Zela? For some reason, you fell for his silly little act and slept with him. You know, I'm almost wondering what all this time with Macavity has done to you, Zela. I definitely don't like what I'm seeing."

Marcetheus growled lowly when Tugger spoke again. Zela could see in her mate's eyes that there was a force that not even her words could stop. "Marceth-"

"Where do you go off talking to her like that? You're the one that broke her heart, you arrogant arse! You know, I've seen guys like you before, but from my point of view, I was looking from the outside of a cage."

Tugger simply growled back at the tortoiseshell tom, hostility building up between them. Zela was trying to get between the toms, but it was obvious that they both were fighting to be the Alpha male. The Maine Coon stepped up toward Marceth, "And where do you go off insulting toms you just met, puny?"

Marceth hissed, "I think I've known you long enough to be an arrogant, hypocritical tool. And if you _ever _think about insulting my mate again, I'll fill your head so full of nightmares that you won't sleep for months!"

"Oh really?" Tugger smirked and stared down at him, "Well, big guy, this 'tool' has a perfect right to insult the queen that left him and mated with a pipsqueak…. I bet there's not even that much _there _that Zela can enjoy, eh Z?"

Zelaphelia was about to rebuke Tugger's comments. But Marceth beat her to it. He growled loudly and shoved Tugger back. "Stay away from her!" she shouted, about ready to shove the Maine Coon again. But before the opportunity could present itself, Tugger's balance was lost. He fell over in the corner, curled up on the floor, and started snoring gently.

The gold-red queen stared over at her mate, then over at Tugger. She wasn't even sure what had just happened. She looked back at Marceth with disbelief, "What did you do?"

Misto stepped up to the sleeping tom and blinked curiously, "He's asleep!"

Even Marceth was surprised by this new development. He glanced over at Zela and just shook his head, "I… I don't know… He just… he fell asleep!"

Misto rolled his eyes, "Oh really, Marceth? What in freakin' Heavyside tipped you off?"

Unsure about what to do, Zela shook her head and walked back to the Cell's door. To her displeasure, she found that Marceth had followed her. He closed the door and stared at his mate with a look of seriousness. Zela wasn't sure if it was guilt or maybe relief, but as far as she knew, Marceth was trying to remain unreadable. "Look, Zela…" he breathed, rubbing the back of his neck tensely, "I'm sorry… but… I don't want to lose you… I can't do this…"

Zela just stared at him, barely acknowledging his words. The second they absorbed, she scowled sorely at her mate. She no longer saw guilt or relief in his face. She saw soullessness. "Fine… If you're not going to do anything, then I will!" She was about to storm back up the stairs, but something stopped her. She sighed, slowly turning back to her mate, "I still want your help, Marceth. I have to free my friends… But I don't want to do it by myself."

A response wasn't given very quickly. Maybe there was some guilt leftover, but Zela was still hoping that his selfishness could be overlooked. Couldn't he tell that they could be happy if this happened?

Marceth finally sighed and shook his head, "Zel… I'm sorry…"

And with this final blow, Zela felt the keen sting of betrayal. Her heart fell in her chest, and all she could really think to do was sob for the loss of her mate. But she wouldn't do that. Not while he was there. "…Well… the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, does it?" she remarked flatly. Zela didn't even want to see the pity and regret in Marceth's eyes. She simply turned away from him and started up the stairs. Well, if her own mate wouldn't help her… Maybe her father would…

~^..^~

Life was just a poor joke. And for some reason, it felt like poking fun at Macavity in the evening. How was it that he had to sit inside his den all day and work? He was the Napoleon of Crime! He shouldn't have to do any of this! What crime lord did paperwork anyway? This was stuff his boring, not as successful half brother did. But once he finished his work, Hell decided to poke at him further when he heard a subtle knock at his door. The ginger tom growled angrily. No peace at all! What was wrong with this world?

He inhaled sharply, keeping himself on his black chair. He was calmly debating with himself whether or not he could take a visit from a henchcat or not. At the last second, Macavity decided he would simply have to create peace after he was done with one more little meeting. "Come in." he called, sounding a little darker than he expected of himself, though sounding dark was the best intent. He wanted the unfortunate soul behind that door to know what type of mood they had caught him in.

In a few second, the door opened itself, and in walked a collected, beige queen with a saunter in her step. "Good evening, Boss." Jezabella purred deeply.

Macavity gave a disdained nod as a greeting. Of course, out of all the queens that could have come through that door, it_ had_ to be the one that was infatuated with him. "What do you want, Jeza?" he asked in a soft, almost distracted tone.

The Tokinese queen made an innocent face, "Why sir, I don't want anything," She smirked slightly and walked toward him, "I think it's all about what you want, and I'm sure that you want the pleasure of my company…" She smirked, adding enough emphasis where her voice sounded sultrier than before.

The Napoleon of Crime proved immune to her enchantments, despite watching the way her hips moved. He was tired enough after sending silly Wynestelle away to the queens' den. He didn't need Jeza, a queen he was only half-attracted to, trying to seduce him in his own private space! "I'd prefer my own company at the moment, Jezabella." He growled, standing on his feet.

But Jeza didn't take t his as a threat. In fact, it looked like his actions only allured her more. She sauntered toward him, "I can understand that, Sir… Anyone would prefer_ your_ company… including me …" she came close to him with a deep smile, as if she could get away with the things that only Bombalurina could pull off.

Feeling annoyed enough with her overly confident attitude, Macavity knew this was enough to push him further than he needed to be. He gave her a foul, invidious glare, sending the message that her maneuver of seduction was not working. "Get out, Jezabella." He ordered, "I believe I gave you a speech about your behavior when you were much younger. Even then, I could have taught you a few more lessons! …Bbut because batting you around doesn't wise you up-…" Macavity took a grip of her shoulders, forcibly digging his claws into her skin.

This caused a wince to flash by Jezabella's face, but she wasn't looking any different from before, as if she was trying to keep her charade in play. Macavity hissed at her. If she wanted him to react, he would react. The ginger tom aggressively pushed her up against the wall and clashed his mouth with hers. He knew they were both enjoying this new contact. Anyone would. But a moment later, Macavity's teeth sunk into her lip, biting deeply enough where she bled.

The Tokinese queen yelped in surprise and pain, quickly pulling away from him. She looked shock that he would be that rough with her. She wasn't use to that, even after a year of staying in the Warehouse. Macavity glared and pushed her further against the wall. "If you thought that was bad, I'll do worse if you try coming on to me again." After a moment of looking over the expression of fear on her face, the ginger tom felt that his message had been received, and he could relax and be satisfied. He shoved her away from him enough where the beige queen lost her balance and landed on the floor. Jeza was breathing deeply, holding her injured lip.

Macavity decided that the message simply had to sink in further, "You have no idea what you're trying to put yourself through. But I just gave you a taste of it, Jezabella! I want you to understand that you're nothing but a sac of fur to me. You're a queen that's meekly trained a few kittens, and barely made them accountable in the Warehouse! Now, either you continue to keep yourself quiet, do what I say, and learn to play by _my _rules, considering that I can easily put your pathetic life to an abrupt, very unnatural _end!"_

Between Jeza's facial expression and the fact that she was crawling to the door, Macavity couldn't decide which one he liked better. He growled once more for good measure and stalked forward a step, "OUT!"

And in that brief moment, she disappeared. Hopefully that had scared her enough to make her stay away from him. Macavity chuckled darkly, as that encounter had put him in a better mood. He went back to his chair with a small grin resting on his face….

~^..^~

There was coldness in the air now; the kind of frozen, bitter air that made Jeza not want to breathe. She started off crawling through the main hall of the Warehouse, looking truly feeble to any henchcat that passed her. What her boss had done made her feel dreadful. It was such a violating confrontation on his part. She never thought he would do something like that to her, even with the kiss, which was nice for a moment. But it turned into an event in her life that would haunt her for good.

The Beige queen couldn't have felt more down-hearted or diminished. Her ego had taken a blow from a tom, who she realized had a far larger ego than she did. Breathing deeply, Jeza crawled into a corner near the henchcats' common area, and curled herself into a ball of blubbering beige fur. Rejected. Hated by the boss. Whose life could be worse than hers?

But it took maybe a few minutes of crying by herself until she felt someone kneel down next to her. It was a kind gesture, and the Tokinese queen half-wondered if maybe the boss had come back to apologize. Yet she found herself dismayed after looking up. Barnabas's scarred face was smirking at her charmingly. "I suppose the boss knocked you right back into your place, eh darling?"

Jezabella glared angrily at the black tom and turned her head back to her tear-soaked fur. "Leave me alone, Barnabas…" She muttered in a hoarse tone. Jeza hadn't realized how much she had cried! And now the stupid assistant would know it! "I don't need you rubbing it in my face…"

Barnabas sounded like he was stopping himself from laughing. "Now, Jeza, mia bellezza." That phrase caught her attention. She knew that language was Italian, but she didn't think Barnabas knew any. He sat down next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, "No need to think that way. Macavity obviously hasn't been treating you well. And you aren't the only one. Most henchcats already know that the boss does not know how to treat his employees… So, we are going to fire a message back to him… And you would help tremendously with the cause, darling."

Jeza stared at him with large, curious eyes. She almost didn't understand what he was saying until he said it. "… You're… you're asking me to go against the boss…"

The black tom shrugged, "You could say that… Moreover, I 'm requesting your help. You know the boss will never appreciate us. You can help make sure that he knows we will be respected."

For a moment, Jeza just stare at him, as if he barely knew what he was talking about. "… He would kill all of us for doing something like that…"

Barnabas laughed, "Maybe so, but with the proper help, he won't be able to lay a claw mark on any of us." The words he used sounded so sinister… but appealing, also.

The Tokinese queen's head turned to the side in confusion, "…How do you mean?"

The black tom just smiled and stood them both up. He kept his arm around and started leading her down another hall. "Let's talk…"

~^..^~

This was risky business. Requesting a favor from her father was not Zela's ideal plan. But since Marceth refused to help her, she knew she was out of options. Macavity was her last chance to freedom, even if he was the one that locked her up in the first place. Yet she wouldn't be surprised if he was listening to her thoughts right now, already catching up to her plan. If he wasn't now, he would later. She kept her mind as blocked as she could.

The gold-red queen kept her eyes straight when she saw her father's den door. She was around her father before, but never like this. Those were practice lessons. That whole time, he was teaching her to fight and to have enough confidence in herself, though the lessons were especially emphasized on how she must remain loyal to her father. Well, now was time to put all those lessons into action. She used these weeks to discover what she had adopted from her father, and possibly use it against him. Yet now, she was going to use it as an advocate towards her case. Inhaling sharply, Zela walked forward and slowly knocked on Macavity's door.

By the sound of his voice, he was disgruntled, "Come in!"

Slowly, she opened the door and walked inside, "Mac-… Father?"

Macavity's face still looked dark and angered, but it seemed to change quickly at the sight of his daughter. Surprises would never seem to cease. "Ah, Zela," he purred, "Well, this is certainly unexpected." He was smiling grimly, making Zela wonder if he had expected her to come. Macavity chuckled at how nervous she looked and stood up out of his chair, "I never thought you would come visit me on your own. What can I help you with, dear?"

Zela looked down for a moment; her fast-pacing heart beat barely beginning to slow. "I need to ask you a favor, Father…" She was glad that she had gotten use to calling Macavity as 'father', otherwise that title would taste far too bitter in her mouth.

Macavity raised an eyebrow curiously, but gave an approving nod, "Alright… go ahead then."

"I need you to free Mungojerrie…"

Another thing Zela was learning: to tolerate the empty silences between them. Macavity had quickly lost his grin and had turned himself away from his daughter. "So I assume Tugger has already explained what happened to Rumpleteazer… Otherwise you would have come to me sooner."

She glared at her feet, "Something like that, yes…" She was keeping herself from telling the truth, of course. He would never give into her request if he knew the full story. All he had to know was that she knew Jerrie was alive; nothing more, nothing less. "You have two other Junkyard prisoners, Father. If you still believe that I'm not trustworthy enough, you have them. But please release Jerrie…"

Macavity sighed and started pacing around the room. His look reminded her of what his bad side was like. She had only been on the end of that a few times in her life. But if he should go on the offense this time, at least she was ready.

Then he turned his head up to her, his face appearing gentle and understanding. Zela stared at him, as if this wasn't her father. "I will release Mungojerrie," he decided, "Since he has no other use to me… I was just going to have him as a toy for the torturers, but I suppose it will work this way..." He looked at Zela and sighed, "I did what I had to so you would be on my side."

She simply nodded, "I know, Father…"

He walked back to her, for once looking like the father figure that hadn't existed. "Someday, you'll understand. When you inherit my empire." He smiled at her, a genuine smile. The gold-red queen was barely able to acknowledge it before it disappeared, "I'll be sure to release Mungojerrie… but he will be in your care. If you find it best to send him back, then you may. But remember that you are not allowed to leave the property."

Zela simply nodded, though a rebellious argument was in her. Holding her tongue was the only thing to do though. He could easily take back their agreement if she said the wrong things. "Yes, Father…" she stated shortly.

Macavity stared at her, looking unconcerned , and for once, carefree. "You may go. Tell your guard, Marcetheus to release him. Oh… and tell Marcetheus to visit me afterwards."

Zela looked at her father, unable to figure instantly why he would want to see Marceth again. He hadn't given any indication that he knew about them! Zela bit her lip, nodding shortly before exiting the room with quick haste. Her father had once again succeeded in perplexing her, but at the moment, he wasn't a worry in her mind. Instead, she focused on her last destination. Now that they had an exit out of the Warehouse, she now had a motive for larceny against her father.

The gold-red queen mystically ascended back to Macavity's chemical laboratory, where she had kept a close eye on what the antidote looked like…

~^..^~


	29. Saying Goodbye

_Now that they had an exit out of the Warehouse, she now had a motive for larceny against her father._

_The gold-red queen mystically ascended back to Macavity's chemical laboratory, where she had kept a close eye on what the antidote looked like…_

~^..^~

All there was left for Marceth to feel was penitence. There were several things he had done in his young life that he wasn't proud of, but what he said to Zela had been the worst thing he had ever done. That stupid Maine Coon was right. He was receded to nothing but scum. Some mate he turned out to be. He still thought that Zela and he could be perfectly happy at the Warehouse, but suddenly she had to go back to the Junkyard with Jellicle prisoners.

Maybe he felt this way because for once, he wanted to be right. But once again, he was proven wrong. And what was attached to being wrong was having the hurt in Zela's eyes. He wouldn't live that down, even if she ever forgave him for his idiotic mistakes. But upon moping outside the cells, the tortoiseshell came to the conclusion that he needed to take a positive step. He loved Zela more than anything. She was truly the only queen in his life that opened his eyes, proving that Macavity's word was not his own. And the affections were suspicious on both their parts. Falling in love with Zela gave Marceth vulnerability, and in turn, weakness. She could have manipulated him, had he let his feelings consume his mind. And now when she seemed most desperate for his help, he found a way to resist it. He couldn't have felt more untrue to the queen he loved.

But then, what would happen if he were to betray his boss? The tom that took in his family? After training him, moving him up in the ranks, this was how he was going to repay the tom that gave him this life? Without Macavity, Marceth would have never met Zelaphelia, proper circumstances or no. The tortoiseshell knew he'd become Macavity's enemy if anything was done to defy him. He'd be considered dead the moment the Hidden Paw discovered that he was with his daughter…

So then… what did he have to lose?

As he quickened his steps down the hall, not even stopping to see if anyone would follow, Marceth was finally working things through in his mind. The only queen he loved would not be abandoned. Zela had put so much confidence in her tribe that they would be accepted; that they could live normally and start a happy life together. And if they didn't accept them? Simple enough. They would run away. Far from the ones who had corrupted their pasts. Zel could escape her prude Junkyard tribe, he would escape his undermining parents, and perhaps they could both leave Macavity behind forever.

All of this brewed in his mind as the tortoiseshell tom trailed through the halls of the warehouse, until he had found a guarded door, where the tortured victim, Mungojerrie was held. Marceth kept his head tilted up as he stopped in front of the skulking henchcat keeping watch. "I'm to take the prisoner from this cell to the boss." He lied.

The unkempt, black queen turned her head, one yellow eye burning suspiciously. "Boss nevah said anythin' to it." She spat.

"It's his orders, Sadgidi. Not mine." Again, another lie. Yet, Marceth was even surprised about how sure he sounded.

Sadgidi hoarsely growled before raising her wavering paws to the cell door, and unlocked it with a single swipe, she gestured Marceth to follow as she temperamentally stormed to a pathetic tiger-tabby hanging by his arms, a few drops of vomit dribbling down his chin. "Gettup, ya sod!" she hissed in her snake-like tone of voice. "Dis fool 'ere says da big bass wants ta meet wichya! Can't deny 'im nuttin', no we caun't."

Marceth winced as Sadgi undid the clasping chains on Mungojerrie's arms before she kicked him into his own vomit. The black henchqueen got a sordid laugh from that one. "Oi, 'e's as flimsy as shaken sheets, eh?" she chuckled, continuing to kick him until he got close enough to Marceth. She rested her foot before skulking back out. "Still a bloody mess, though." She hissed, "Get 'im outta 'ere 'fore he starts bringing da res' of 'is breakfast back."

Marceth said nothing else to the gruesome-looking queen. Instead, he quickly supported Jerrie, using his shoulder, and started back down the hall. Obviously, Mungojerrie had been in hell for far too long. The affect that the torch lights had on his eyes was creepy enough. It was as if there was no life left in him. And yet there was, for his weak legs slowly tried to move with Marceth. Maybe it was because this wasn't his usual route to torture, or maybe it was because he was being carried in a way he hadn't experienced during his sessions.

Either way, Marceth wasn't enjoying his time with the macabre mess. For one thing, he reeked of burning feces, body odor, and stagnant water. And for another thing, he was actually heavier than would have been predictable. Marceth rolled his eyes as the weight started to take its toll on his arms. "Weeks of not being able to hold down your own food and you're weight is comparable to those wealthy cats on James Street!" he growled, almost struggling to keep hold of him. Still breathing easily, Marceth continued down the hall. "Well, Zela's damn worth it, Mungojerrie…."

He sighed in exhaustion, Mungo's odor starting to get to him. Not only that, but the tiger-striped tom's stained coat and vomit remains were starting to dirty up Marceth's own pelt. "Everlasting Cat…" He breathed, wrenching out of the interrogation hall. "Alright, Mungojerrie…. Hold on… freedom's on its way… for you and all the other Jellicles…."

Yet little did Marceth realize, someone had watched him make his treacherous move. With a grim smile, Benthelo eagerly started down the hall to the Boss's quarters, where he was going to report something that would surely put Marceth in his proper place. Six feet under….

~^..^~

Misto finally worked out of the word for how he felt right then. Between watching Tugger's bruised scowl at Marceth, Marceth tiredly grooming himself free of blood stains and grime, and Mungojerrie huddled in the corner of Zela's old cell, the word to describe his feelings was awkward. He had silenced the toms' rights to speak to each other, knowing that Mungojerrie was in a very frail state of mind where the slightest discomfort could make him break down. Mistoffelees had never seen a mind so shattered in his life. If Jerrie was under risk of being distributed the toxin, then it almost seemed like a better fate than what he had received.

Yet it was surprising that Marceth was the one to rescue the tiger-tabby after seeming so adamant on his refusal to Zela. Tugger's reaction to the henchcat's actions was one that Misto compared to envy. It was hatred of not being able to help in the way that he wanted to. Yet that was the Maine Coon's fault. Misto just didn't have the energy to explain that to him.

While the silence uncomfortably lingered in the Cells, one thought was still caught in the Magician's spinning mind. He had been right about Marceth's abilities. His suspicions of mysticism were ultimately confirmed. Only the blood of a magical cat could make someone fall asleep by simple touch. The question was if Marceth was ever planning on telling him this, or better yet, telling Zela! Another dearth in answers was whether the henchcat could still be trusted, despite the fact that Jerrie would not be with them without his help. That didn't mean he wasn't a doubtable character.

Before he could find another topic to preoccupy his internal monologue, Mistoffelees' ears perked when three loud bangs came from the door. Heavyside, if this was a henchcats, freedom was as good as gone!

Yet to Misto's relief, Zela entered, carrying three vials in her hand, all with clear looking liquid quickly oscillating in the small, test tube-like vials. "Okay, Misto, I know you have your cure in mind, but since everyone may die tomorrow, I figured it would be better to make the cure come a little …Marceth? Who's in the cell?"

Mistoffelees couldn't help but lightly grin at Zela's expression when she noticed Jerrie in the corner. The Magician stood up on his paws and decided not put the burden on Marceth to give an explanation. "Your mate successfully retrieved Mungojerrie." He stated, snatching the vials from her paws as she stared down at her mate blankly.

"…You brought him down here?" she asked the tortoiseshell uncertainly, "Why?"

Marceth looked up at the gold-red queen and shrugged. Misto growled in his mind. Though his thoughts still appeared pure in thought, the tuxedo tom still saw Marceth's embarrassment to be helping Junkyard cats. Out of respect of his privacy, Misto decided to remain silent until the silly henchcat could gain some confidence to explain everything to Zela.

In a matter of minutes, Marceth found his words. "… Because… I'm ready to start that new life that you mentioned earlier…" He gradually stood on all fours and stepped up close to his mate. "Maybe a change of scenery wouldn't be so bad…"

Misto expected somewhat of an awkward silence, but for once, nothing of the sort occurred. Zela's dubiety and confusion quickly turned to a sense of thrill. She wrapped her arms around Marceth's neck, the smile on her face growing to be record wide. "I love you, Marceth! I can't even tell you how much!"

Marceth paused, a rain of surprise washing over his face before contentment finally settled. "I love you too, Zel…" he purred lovingly.

The mates embraced tightly, showing no signs of regret toward each other. Mistoffelees felt himself smile a little. If he had doubts about the tortoiseshell tom, they were no longer present in his head. It was clear that his best friend had found someone that loved her, and that was good enough for him.

However, not everyone in the room was as touched by the moment. Tugger's scowl had grown excessively, letting out a free hiss of disdain. Zela didn't seem to mind it. Her focus was on Marceth. "When we get to the Junkyard, things are going to be different. I promise." They shared a kiss before Zela turned herself to Mistoffelees. "Misto, it's time to go. Help Jerrie up. Marceth, you'll escort us all to the exit, if you wouldn't mind."

Misto nodded accordingly and quickly went to the cockney tom's aid. He was still such a mess. The cuts on his back were still exposed, almost to the level of unhealthiness. The tuxedo tom held his breath as he lifted Jerrie back on his feet. "Come on, Jerrie. We're going home. Finally."

Mungojerrie gave a small pensive nod, as he leaned his head up and looked over at the magician hollowly. Misto saw that the injured tom's full support was on him. "Get… me… out…" he whispered.

Misto was glad to see some reaction in him where he understood most of what was happening. As Misto tightly clutched the vials in his hands, he quickly followed Marcetheus back out of the cells, Jerrie limping by him. He looked back to see if Zela and Tugger were following, but surprisingly, they weren't. _Zela? You coming?_

The line was dead for a moment as the cell door closed. _Tugger wants to talk to me for a couple minutes, Misto. Tell Marceth we'll catch up with you in a minute…_

~^..^~

Tugger was still suppressing hisses, his blood boiling to a hazardous level. He never got jealous if he could help it, but this was one case where that particular emotion was unavoidable. He was still perplexed as to why Zela could do this to _him_, and with a dim, volatile henchcat, no less! She had clearly gone mad during her time at the Warehouse, and that was certainly going to be no defense when the Junkyard learned of her new mate. Above all, the Maine Coon was under the impression that he deserved an explanation from her.

He quickly shut the door before Zela could leave, giving her one massive scowl. "I think you should explain yourself…" he growled, gritting his teeth.

Zela raised an eyebrow, not appearing to find his behavior at all intimidating. "I don't need to do anything of the sort," she said simply, "I didn't betray the tribe. That's all you need to know."

She was about to reach for the door again, but Tugger shoved it shut. "That's not good enough!" He spat, "You know perfectly well what you did wrong! Seriously, Zel, _that _guy? He's a henchcat!"

"He's a good tom!" she hissed, "And he's much better for me than you ever were, Tugger!"

Both of Tugger's eyebrows rose significantly. He was debating whether he was more shocked or angered by her statement. "I've done nothing wrong to you, Zela!" He hissed back, "I was never with any other queen besides you for all this time! How can you stand there and lie about what it was like when we were together?"

"Oh… 'So now we're together? I had no idea…'" She glared after mocking him with his own quote, which Tugger vaguely remembered was a part of their last argument. "You didn't give a damn about me, Tugger! You were so focused on having us hook up that you didn't think about what was actually good for a relationship! And now I finally have someone that I can trust, whether the Jellicles thinks so or not! But you'll never change! You'll always be the same arrogant tom with the reputation of the Curious Cat to uphold"

Tugger growled lowly, his mane ruffling up at her criticism. "You have truly grown pathetic, Zela, if you crawl to your daddy's scum. I may not change because I like the way I am! But I don't even know who you are, Zela!" Sighing roughly, the Maine Coon just stared away at his feet. He was furious with her, and she would never understand that. "You're going to regret having Mac's guard tag along in your life, because whatever the hell he's offering you won't be enough. No one's going to accept him. When everyone figures out you've been playing 'Daddy's girl' while you were here, they won't accept you either."

His rant, though as noble intentioned as he tried to coat it, did not look like enough to sway Zela's mind. She snarled at him, and turned away from him hatefully. "You'll never understand the way I feel Tugger. I trust Marceth with all my heart…. I love him…"

"Oh yeah? And what happens after your loser mate turns on you?"

Unbeknownst, Tugger received a slap for that comment. As much as it burned, nothing could have stirred him more than the look of pure ice aggrandizing from the gold-red queen's eyes. "…Marceth will never hurt me, Tugger! And right now, I want to push you into a cell and lock it so you can be left for my father to deal with! You don't deserve my help! You can't even move on from your ego!"

"Move on… yeah, because worrying for you was obviously the worse choice I could make, right? …I think I can see that now." Tugger swung the cell door open widely, ready to leave her now, but his gaze lifted slightly, "…There's nothing left between us, is there?"

The gold-red queen stood in a freeze for a moment, but soon started back up the stairs. "What do you think, Tugger?" she growled. With that, Zelaphelia strode away from him, taking on numbness from his presence. A gelid stillness passed between them before Tugger followed her in a slow trudge. He couldn't believe after all this time; he had been worrying for nothing. And the queen he loved was now no longer his to love. What Tugger figured would last a lifetime now didn't have a good memory to offer him. And as far as he could figure, it was better that way.

Zela started rushing down the hall, keeping as much distance between them as possible. They turned one corner silently. When he looked up, Tugger saw they had caught up to everyone. But another sight forced him to stifle. Five henchcat were blocking their way to freedom. And who else to lead them but the Mystery Cat himself….

~^..^~

Macavity hadn't felt a twinge of betrayal, oh no. He was far too livid at what the henchcat told him to feel that. And yet, it was hard to argue with the sight of his prisoners trying to find escape. And to think of all the work he put into swaying Zela to his side. Clearly, he would have to use more intensive methods on her after sorting this mess.

The five henchcats positioned themselves into a v-shape line with Macavity in the lead of them. Composedly observing the sitting targets, the Hidden Paw raised a slim eyebrow, barely revealing the stinging pierce of one yellow eye. Yet, that one look seemed enough to chill the room to a tremble. All of his victims appeared apprehensive and struck by fear, but the look Macavity was most interested in was his daughter's.

The shock distilled and shrunken in her pupils satisfied him to a T.

In a slow, derisive manner, Macavity gave the group a short applause. "Brilliant…" he snarled darkly, lowering his paws, "Simply remarkable. You were able to elude my notice as you planned such a… crafty escape. You took advantage of trust, and persuaded my most dim-witted henchcat to help you. Amazing, I must say, that you kept me in the dark for so long, biding your time until it was almost too late. But there's one thing you left unaccounted for, Zelaphelia."

Zela stared at her father as she took a few meager steps forward, as if to take credit to being marked as the ring leader. Macavity smirked slightly, "This is my game. My Warehouse. And you can't cheat me out this time. You cannot escape your fate, and you won't try to again, I'll make sure of that."

The gold-red queen stared at her father before hissing and taking a step back. "We will not be your prisoners any more, _Father_! I will not be a pawn to you anymore!"

Macavity sighed roughly and shook his head in disappointment, "Oh, daughter, I wish you could simply understand what I was trying to do for you," He revealed a devilish smirk as he raised his head, "But you will, in time." The ginger tom turned toward his henchcats, but mainly spoke to the tom that had gave him the information of their escape. "Put the Magician in an interrogating cell… and bring Zelaphelia to my den when the mess is cleaned up. The rest, you may kill."

Macavity was half thinking of staying and seeing how his most skilled henchcats played against the pathetic almost- escapee group, but he had to prepare himself mentally for what he planned to do with his daughter. He glanced over at Marceth, who already adopted hostility in his stance. "Now Marcetheus, I'm extremely disappointed in how you turned out. So much potential too… And to think how much hope that your parents had in you… Ah well. Your worthless family will soon come to an end anyhow." Ignoring the confused look on his former-henchcat's face, Macavity looked once more at Zela.

"Until later, my daughter," He purred. In one bolt of energy, the ginger tom disappeared in his den….

~^..^~

After Macavity's departure, Zela knew this was definitely a time to worry. The twist in Benthelo's sadistic grin was growing closer to her, his claws extended. "Tell you what, Girly, you come along quietly, we'll make your friends' deaths quick and easy."

Zela was about to retaliate somehow, but suddenly, a dark flash tackled the leader of the henchcats. It took a moment for her to realize that Marceth was the first to strike at Benthelo. "No one will come near my mate!" the angered tortoiseshell roared.

In a flurry of excitement, each of the remaining four henchcats looked for an opponent to attack. Mistoffelees seemed to be doing fine on his own with two henchcats going at him and Mungo. The Magician fortunately found the speed to sit the tiger tabby behind him, and get into a defense. With one paw sparkling and the other gripping the cure, Misto looked quite eager to use his powers again.

Tugger looked like he was going to have more difficulty, as he and the remaining henchcat started to go at each other like pollicles, one scratch after another. With this kind of defense, Zela wondered why she had even begun to worry. But her top priority was to help the toms in any way she could, now that her powers were at use. The gold-red queen quickly avoided a misaimed lightning bolt from Misto as she leaped over to Benthelo and Marcetheus.

Ben had retreated after a few scratches, but stared at the two cats with slight interest, despite the blood matting his shoulder and forehead. "Mates, Marceth? Ah… so that's why you two have been hiding out in the cells all hours of the day!" He snorted and swiped one claw at the both of them, "Oh, the boss will get a kick out of that one! …You know what, Zela? Maybe after I finish off your _mate _here, the boss will award you to me for defeating you …"

Zela growled lowly, but Marceth kept her blocked from the assassin. "You've officially crossed the line, Ben. Sorry it's got to end like this."

His fur bristled angrily before the tortoiseshell took a strike at the black tom. And for the second time that day, that simple touch had knocked the tom unconscious. Marceth didn't even try to take notice to this. He immediately jumped on to the unconscious tom, his claws peeling away at his flesh in ways that he was blocking from Zela's view. She simply shuddered, turning away once a few splatters of Benthelo's blood landed on the floor. She didn't want to know what her mate was doing, but it was simple to surmise that it was the end of Benthelo.

Their greatest challenge laid dead, as well as two henchcats with scorch marks in the middle of their chests. Mistoffelees glanced over at Zela, quickly lifting Mungojerrie back up. Zela sighed in relief as Marcetheus came back to her side, wiping a small trace of blood away from his face. She wasn't even going to glance at the body, fearing what she might see.

As they appeared prepared, Zela turned to see if Tugger was ready. But shock quickly filled her as the last henchcat sprinted back out of Tugger's grip and hustled down the hall with a terrified look on his face. Tugger cursed at his evaded prey, about to take off after him.

"Tugger, stop!" The gold-red queen shouted, about to chide him about how close they were to escape and how they didn't have time to take on the rest of the Warehouse.

But before she could, her mind faded into darkness. **A vision blurred into the frightened henchcat running down the hall. His large were eyes screaming in despair. He started running toward the den of his boss, and from there it became fairly obvious that the young, horrified henchcat was going back to her father to report the defeat.**

Zelaphelia came back to her regular vision, her eyes widening at all four toms. "We have to get out of here _now._ That henchcat's going to tell my father!" She pushed her mate forward, now rushing for him to lead them to the Henchcats' exit. "Hurry!"

The panicked moment passed, and soon the group of five stealthily disappeared in the shadows, so close to freedom that Zela felt like they were flying to it…

~^..^~

Getting to the exit with so much pressure put on Marcetheus was particularly a cinch. He was used to pressure being put on him. Leading everyone under the standing, stair-case like structure of crates, Marceth stopped at the entrance and calmly made sure that everyone got out, even the supercilious waste-of-a-mane, Tugger. Zela was the last to exit before him, but she quickly pulled him a long with her paw, now seeming more excited than hasty. How could anyone blame her? They were finally back out in the day light, now closer to a new life than ever before. The most convenient part was that all the guards didn't have duty in the day. This god-forsaken property was cleared, as far as escape went. Marcetheus breathed deeply, starting to run behind his mate to catch up to Tugger and Mistoffelees.

They quickly reached the gates, about to exit, when Mistoffelees quickly stopped and turned to Zela. "Macavity will come after the cure first, Zela. And I'm not sure how long Jerrie's going to last on this run. But since we're not so close to the Warehouse property, I think I can transport us all there without any complications."

The smile on the gold-red queen's face only increased. "Yes. The sooner, the better."

As Mistoffelees began saying some sort of incantation under his breath, Marcetheus prepared himself, not only for the transport, but for the Junkyard, and his new Jellicle life.

He was interrupted as a recognizably dark voice sibilated in his head. _You don't want to be doing this, Marcetheus… You can't leave here, knowing everything that you've done for me. Those Jellicles will eat you alive, merely because of how you were raised. That's how closed-minded they are. That's why you will always remain my henchcat…._

Marceth blinked, before slowly realizing that Macavity was speaking to him through his head._ No…NO! Go away… leave me alone! _

_You're mother's name is Wynestelle, yes? I recall telling you that your worthless family is coming to an end. Your vermin father was simple to eliminate, and Wynestelle will be no different. Now, I can stop from killing your mother, but only if you come back as quickly as possible… if you find a way to bring Zelaphelia back with you, all will be forgiven, and you will continue being my servant as if nothing has changed. Just think about it, before my claws slip…_

Marceth backed up a step, his eyes widened at what his former boss was telling him. Yes, his mother hadn't done much good for him in the past few years, but she was still his mother! And he didn't have a doubt that Macavity would kill her in a matter of minutes. He turned to look at his mate, now realizing that the Hidden Paw was forcing him to give up the life he wanted so desperately to share with Zela. But no matter what Macavity would do to him, Marceth wasn't going to let Zela get hurt again by her father. Taking a few steps away, Marceth knew he had to do the more horrible thing that he could ever do to the gold-red queen. Break her heart. "I can't do this Zela. Go ahead and go, but I have to stay here."

Zela turned her head to him, her eyes puzzled, "Marceth…. What are you talking about?"

"The Warehouse is my home, Zela." He said quickly, "I have to stay here, where I belong. Macavity will never stop harassing us if I leave with you, but I know what I'm doing is right. If I give myself up, then I know you won't have to worry about me again. You can move on with your life and forget you ever knew me."

Zela opened her mouth to reply, but was quickly interrupted by a snorting Tugger, "You are full of it, idiot!" he growled.

The Tortoiseshell growled back at him angrily, but ignored him. Zelaphelia stepped forward, her eyes now pleading. "Marceth… please… don't say all this! If we concurred Macavity once we can do it again, but please don't leave me like this. Don't run away when we're so close to the end!"

She was breaking into tears about how serious his demeanor was. He turned away from her face, his heart breaking in uncountable pieces. "I'm sorry Zela, but this is how it has to be… it'll be safer this way…"

"We're wasting time!" Mistoffelees reminded. He glared at all of them and held out one paw. "The charm's been casted. We get out of here now, or we're Macavity's toys for the rest of our sorry lives! Everyone who's coming, lock paws now!"

Mistoffelees' words were enough to ratify Marceth's new decision, even if his heart was shouting at him to simply take his mate's paw and leave. Yet, he knew he had to protect her. There was no other way around it. Wincing tightly in his face, Marceth pushed Zela away from him, unintentionally toward Tugger. The Maine Coon didn't seem to have a problem locking Zela in the circle with Mistoffelees.

Marceth let a tear spill out of his eye. He heard Zela begging to be released as she reached for him, her tears more obvious than his. The tortoiseshell blocked out her voice, knowing if he heard her, he would shatter and change his mind. Solemnly, Marcetheus made a vow that he would find her again. "Good bye, love…" he whispered softly. Zela's despairing eyes disappeared from sight as the charm activated in a bright flash. This temporarily blinded Marceth, but when he looked back, the four Junkyard cats were gone.

That was the last thing Marceth remembered before being dragged away by his former colleagues back to the Warehouse…

~^..^~


	30. Numbing the Pain

"_Good bye, love…" he whispered softly. Zela's despairing eyes disappeared from sight as the charm activated in a bright flash. This temporarily blinded Marceth, but when he looked back, the four Junkyard cats were gone. _

_That was the last thing Marceth remembered before being dragged away by his former colleagues back to the Warehouse…_

~^..^~

London had always been a grey place, and on most occasions kept itself occupied with busy streets and worldly tourist sights. But lately, humans seemed less interested to be wandering around in gloomy daylight. How could anyone blame them? There were ghosts that haunted the city. Some were not even once human, but all the same each and every one of them had a soul. Time grew longer each day and lives began to slip out of the realm of the living, falling as silent as stars.  
They were fools to think there wouldn't be any victims in this epidemic. Teazer always thought that it wasn't the victims that lost their lives that were the unfortunate ones. The real victims were the ones who suffered amongst the living. The Jellicle tribe had now experienced their feelings of abandonment, and Teazer was the primary example. Her mate and the only family she had known were lost, and now even Tugger had abandoned them. But why would he leave without her? When he knew how desperately she wanted to leave all this behind?

Though everyone's morale was more shattered than before, Alonzo decided to give the Maine Coon a chance to return before most of the remaining tribe left for a safer location. Teazer volunteered herself to stay by the Junkyard fence, hopefully anticipating Tugger's return before sunset. If not, then Alonzo was going to prepare everyone to leave. The tiger-striped queen sighed as her eyes watched the streets sit still. It was still the middle of the day, but that didn't mean she would wake up tomorrow with any joy in her heart, especially if there was no one there to give it to her. Not that she thought of Tugger romantically like she did as a kit, but it felt nice to have someone to care about; someone she could relate to… If Heavyside would find any clemency towards her, then the souls of those who had passed would bless his safe return.

As her eyes peered down the street again, she silently wondered where Tugger would go anyway. Surely, he wouldn't do anything stupid... But whatever he was doing, Teazer was hoping that it was worth abandoning them.

But then her movements stopped, and a strange, overwhelming flash passed all around her. Teazer collapsed from shock of the blinding light, only given a few minutes for recuperation. Blinking her eyes open slowly, her vision came in and out of focus as the dizzying affects of undetected mysticism journeyed away. The tiger striped queen shakingly sat up on her two paws, trying to figure what had happened. The next sight her eyes stopped at answered all her questions.

Four cats were in the middle of the path, all of whom she recognized. Two toms stood next to each other, both holding crippled figures in their grip. When she realized who they were, she was near to fainting again. She saw that it was Zela with Tugger, who was whimpering and crying and pounding at his chest, but her focus was all on Mistoffelees holding a shattered tom with a matted tiger-striped coat and a look of shock in his eyes.

Everlasting Cat. Was he really Mungojerrie? Was he dead? Rumpleteazer ignored her trouble to process her own questions. She ran forward to meet the group, her eyes only on her mate.

"Jerrie! 'eavyside, Jerrie! You're alive!" She was so happy that she broke into tears. Oh he looked terrible, but anyone could expect that from captivity. The tiger-tabby queen was about ready to cling to him like a kit to its mother, but Misto quickly stopped her. "He's very weak, Teazer. He might be confused that you're alive… He thought Macavity killed you…"

Teazer blinked, "…But…but Oi thought that-"

"I know. " Misto murmured, glancing down at the unconscious tom. "Macavity tricked you both. I think I know why too. It was to incriminate Zela."

Teazer blinked as Misto's eyes carefully guided hers to her left, making a weepy gold-red queen more obvious as she wept in Tugger's arms. The tiger-striped queen's eyes widened quite a bit. She thought Zela had betrayed them to Macavity. Why was she here when obviously she didn't appear to be some sort of prisoner? Rumpleteazer's gaze shifted sharply to Mistoffelees. "What's wif her?"

"Long story. All will be explained when this" –he displayed a few vials in his paws- "Is given to the tribe. It's the cure. Zela got it."

Her eyes widened, "…Wait, what?"

Tugger, who seemed to have been listening, threw Zela over his shoulder, who was still whining and whimpering. "No time to explain. Let's just get in there before someone dies!"

At those words, Teazer's heart sunk. She carefully walked on the other side of Jerrie and lifted his arm so that it was supported by her shoulder. Her mate leaned his head on her shoulder, now looking more terrible than before. Her poor bloke. Rumpleteazer gingerly glanced up at the two toms before sighing quietly, "'Ey Tugger? Misto? …Oi gotta tell ya somethin'…"

Misto glanced over at Teazer as they entered into the Junkyard. "What is it?" he asked, as if ready to dismiss what she was about to tell them.

"…Somebody's already died …"

~^..^~

There was light coming from outside of the window, but it was all so dull and lifeless… This once carefully guarded cell that belonged to Marceth's love was now the cold, bleak place that he would probably call his home for years to come. No one guarded him. No one needed to. The reality of it all was that Macavity was now defeated with his plan. He was going to need someone to take the blame. And with Marceth's luck, he was going to die for what he was charged with.

It wasn't going to be something he would cover up either with outrageous stories and large lies. No, the tortoiseshell would tell Macavity everything; how he fell in love with his daughter, how he helped all the Jellicles escape, and of course, how he wanted to reunite with Zelaphelia again. Heavyside, it had only been an hour and he already missed her. She was at the Junkyard, somewhere, probably checking on the loved ones he would never have the chance to meet.

Well, if explaining all this to the Hidden Paw meant his death, maybe he could watch Zela move on from above. She would probably end up with that handsome, arrogant tool of a tom, Tugger. If that happened, he better take care of her. He better be there for the kits that she would mother for him… With that thought, Marceth almost wished it was him in that place. _If only I hadn't listened to Macavity's voice! _Marceth thought, remorse and pain reflecting back in his mind from his decision; _I should have went with Zela… I could have taken care of her… I could have been the mate she wanted…_

As he thought wistfully of his lost mateship, the door of the cells cracked open, revealing a dark figure, intensely glaring at him. Marceth half figured it was Macavity, but surprisingly, a black tom had stepped into the light instead. Marceth barely stirred. "Ramlowe…"

The black tom only scowled at him. Marceth knew he should feel terrible after finding out that Ramloweram had been part of the battle before the Junkyard prisoners' escape. He was the one who had fought Tugger, then ran off to find Macavity. He also first-handedly witnessed his older brother be murdered by his former friend. "Macavity wants to see you," Ramlowe spat. "Get up."

"I can't really do that with my paws tied, can I?"

"Do it anyway." The only thing detectable in his tone was the solidarity of being unmerciful.

Marceth sighed quietly as he bent himself upward with his paws bound together. He sat down on his knees, feeling the ropes starting to tighten on his skin. That was probably going to lead to a harsh rope burn, but Marceth was expecting a lot worse when Macavity was done with him.

The black tom unlocked his cell and quickly lifted him to his feet, cruelly pushing him forward. Marceth almost fell, had it not been for his strange ability to leap with good timing. He started to hop himself up the stairs, Ramlowe barely there to make sure he didn't fall and crack his head open. Though, Marceth was certain he wouldn't mind seeing that. The Tortoiseshell sighed quietly as they started down the next hallway to Macavity's den. He stopped near the dead end that led to the boss. "… Ramlowe… what happened to Ben couldn't be avoided."

Ramlowe stopped with him, keeping himself as collected as cobra before it struck. A good henchcat would have stayed silent and continued his duty, but Marceth knew Ramlowe very well. He and his brother had been inseparable. Of course he would stop to deal with the murderer of his last family. "…You enjoyed killing him, didn't you?" he growled, "We used to be friends, Marceth!"

"...Things changed, Ram. After we got assigned jobs, you both thought lesser of me."

"That was no reason to kill him!" The black tom hissed, shoving Marceth up against the wall. "You knew what Ben was like He teased. He joked. He was like that! He enjoyed life, and you took that away from him!"

"I did not kill Benthelo because of anything he did in the past!" Marceth hissed back. He didn't need to be intimidated by a younger, vengeful tom. Macavity was going to be a hundred times worse. He sighed, leaning his head back against the wall, "Benthelo did things that I didn't think he would do… he threatened the queen that I love… almost raped her… He could have killed her, given the chance. I couldn't let him torture her anymore, Ram… You say I know what he was like? You're right. He liked fast queens and free drinks… Why do you think Macavity signed him up as an assassin? Ben had a cruelty about him that no one - not even you would understand… and you were closer to him than anyone."

"I lost him, Marceth! I lost him because of you! You took him away from me!" If there was even a trace of tears in his eyes, Marceth only caught a glance, because Ramlowe quickly shoved him to the ground, and had fallen flat on his face. He was kicked violently in the side, causing a discomforted grunt. "Get up…" Ramlowe muttered, "Boss needs to see you…"

"And I intend to see him right now." A dark tone uttered out from a silhouette. There stood Macavity's dark figure, barely visible while he stood in his lighted doorway. His face was shadowed, but it was obvious that he was playing a stoic, snake-like disposition. It did well to send shivers up Marceth's spine. The ginger tom leaned himself over slightly, revealing his bright eyes, now obviously fill for a lust of blood. "Bring him in…"

~^..^~

_He left me… How could he have left me… ?_

Zela's thoughts were continuous in her head. Marceth's tearful, golden eyes were stirring her soul. Because of this, she couldn't quicken her pace to distribute the cure. It was alright, though. Anyone who wasn't infected was quickly instructed to go into the medical den and have each patient swallow a dose of the cure. After a few short minutes of just sitting there, waiting for something to happen, each sickened Jellicle's fever broke, and all fell into a light sleep.

Everything seemed alright now… But several things quickly caught up to them after the storm passed. One death had occurred the night before they returned. It was their leader, Old Deuteronomy.

Coricopat had explained that he died in his sleep. Poison simply didn't do well on an old tom's heart; especially in his sleep. This event caused the uninfected tribe great grief, and would bring more to the Jellicles that woke up. That wouldn't be until the morning, though. And before that time, Zela was interrogated thoroughly by Alonzo, the twins, and Skimbleshanks.

It wasn't exactly a horrible conversation to have. They didn't make it into a courtroom drama, nor did they accuse her directly of anything. Though Zela knew they had all suspected her of treachery. Mistoffelees influenced their decision to just let her be for the rest of the night, after explaining his time at the warehouse. Yet for some reason, Misto left out the fact that Marceth was the one who helped them. Zela already had a theory for this: the tuxedo tom realized just how right Tugger was. Mating with a henchcat was an unwritten law, which could be used in an accusation of betrayal. The Jellicles really wouldn't have let Marceth into the tribe, nor would they listen to her about everything he had done for them. But now, without him here, she felt more alone than ever…

That feeling started to fade when Victoria had found her and started to explain everything that she missed. She talked about Munkustrap's attempted suicide, their mother contracting the disease, the debate between the surviving Jellicle members about what to do. It was all very unpleasant and shocking. Zelaphelia kept quiet for her half-sister's tale, keeping her mind like paper, waiting to be filled with a detailed picture. She expected nothing less than a horror story, and she had gotten it.

"I feel awful that I got myself captured…" Zela whispered, curled up one of her rugs inside her old den. Nothing in it had changed. "I could have done something…"

"Zela, there was nothing you could have done, and you know it." Victoria wrapped an arm around her sister's shoulder, genuinely smiling. She didn't seem depressed at all. She was glowing in fact. This was either because of her pregnancy hormones or because she had spent most of her night reuniting with Mistoffelees. Zela smiled for the first time that night. At least something of that night was cheerful. Victoria hugged her sister close. "I'm so happy that you're alive… and didn't betray us…"

Zela felt her paws tightened, thinking about how wrong Victoria was. "… Vic… I have to tell you something about what happened while I was captured…"

Vic looked up, slightly raising an eyebrow. "What happened?"

"… Well… let's just say that… in recent parts of my capture… I think I fell in love… and I mated with someone…"

The silence could not have gone on for much longer until it reached a record-breaking point. "Who was it?" Victoria finally asked, sounding as serious as rain.

Zela wasn't sure how to answer that question. Instead she stayed silent, quickly resting her head on her paws. "I can't tell you, Vic…" There were two reasons why she replied that way. One was that she knew Victoria wouldn't keep the truth a secret, and two, she couldn't say Marceth's name out loud without bursting into tears. "Just please, _please _don't ask me anything else…I don't think I can take it…" Already, her tone sounded broken and quiet. She wouldn't be able to speak much longer if this went on.

The white queen concluded with a deep breath and ended their conversation in peaceful silence. Zela rested her head on her sister's shoulder, now showing the tell-tale signs of how emotionally scarred she really was. In a few short minutes, her venting silence ended. Electra poked her head into her den, smiling at her sisters. "Mum's awake." She said quietly.

The three sisters wasted no time to get to the medical den. By now, three Jellicles had awoken from their slumber, Plato, Jellylorum, and now, Demeter. Walking hastily inside, Zela led her half-sisters to a gold queen, sitting in the second bed to the end of the row. She looked like her normal self, only slightly more confused. Zelaphelia quickly ran up to her mother and hugged her tightly, unable to contain this one joy that she now had in her life. Her mother was alive!

Victoria and Electra had entered in on the hug, the three queens and their mother sharing the time they had now regained together; a moment that ended in peace. It was finally over. The Jellicles had won their battle…

~^..^~

Crunch!

Marceth wailed in pain as he was thrown up against a wall in Macavity's den. This was definitely not one of the boss's more subtle greetings. The tortoiseshell tom cried out in agony, as he held his arm to his chest, feeling it bent in a way that it shouldn't. Macavity only smirked, seeming very pleased with the way Marceth was writhing in pain. There was a cold callousness in each step the ginger tom took, but in the same realm of twisted deviousness, there was a hint of pleasure. He fully indeed on taking revenge against this battered youth. Of course, it wasn't Marceth that he was horribly angry with. He was just a lousy traitor that was only good enough to be senselessly knocked from wall to wall. Macavity yanked Marceth up by the scrap of fur on his neck. "Now, Marceth, what am I to do with you…"

The ginger tom threw Marceth onto the floor again, chuckling sadistically while his victim tried crawling away with only one working paw. Macavity smirked and squatted down next to Marceth, putting his foot on his chest so he wouldn't think about going anywhere. This kind of torture held a good amount of entertainment. "All this time I thought of how loyal you and your parents were to me. But your whole family is only made of devious, pathetic traitors."

Macavity growled quietly as kicked the younger tom hard in the side, his ears perked at the sound of his harrowing yelps. "And I never even figured that you would be the one to defy your master." He sighed again quietly and picked Marceth back up by his pelt, "I had such high hopes for you too… Ah well."

Marceth was still panting hard, but he quickly spat in the Hidden Paw's face, something that he knew would get him killed. "Where's… my.. .mother?" he hissed breathlessly.

In a pause, Macavity wiped the foreign saliva off his face. Instead of slicing at Marceth, like he would do with any regular henchcat, Macavity dropped the young tom back on his floor and casually walked to his bedroom. Marceth groaned aguishly, leaving one eye barely open to see where Macavity was going. "Wynestelle," the ginger tom called, "Your son would like to see you."

Marceth glanced up, wondering what his mother doing with the boss in the first place? Finally, Wynestelle limped out, only exposing her upper body to her son. For once in his life, Marceth could see concern in her eyes directed toward him. "Mum…" he whispered, gripping his broken arm.

The white queen limped quickly over to his side and knelt down in front of him. It was only when her lower half was exposed that Marceth noticed the dry blood that stained the fur on her legs and sides. "What happened to you…?"

Wynestelle shook her head dismissively as she lightly brushed her son's head. "Never mind it…" She whispered hoarsely, "Just do what he says, okay Sweetheart? Your Daddy would want you to save yourself."  
"…What… what happened to Dad?"

He heard Macavity snort at them. "How could you not guess, Marcetheus?" he chortled, "I killed him."

Marceth's eyes widened when that piece of news crashed on him. He didn't know his father too well, but he was still his father. How could he be dead? "… You're lying." He told the ginger tom.

Wynestelle flinched at the cackle Macavity gave. "Oh dear boy, I'm sure the body is still somewhere around the Warehouse, if you'd like to find it!"

"Marceth, my boy," his mother said worriedly, "just don't ask about anything else… please…" Wynestelle's eyes were also wide, but it was more out of fear. "Your father angered him. Don't make the same mistake…"

"Now now, Wynestelle," Macavity stepped up to them with a smirk, "No need to fear. I don't intend on killing your boy. I like seeing him suffer. I like seeing him suffer so much, that he will remain a prisoner for the torturers to play with. Won't that be nice? You'll be able to see your boy live; just not in the best of shapes."

The tortoiseshell was now a little more afraid. He saw what those torturers had done to Mungojerrie. He definitely didn't wish the same fate for himself. He was about to request that he be killed somehow, even if it was excruciatingly slow. Maybe he could find a way to kill himself. But immediately after that thought occurred, Marceth second guess himself. Not because he knew it would hurt. But because of the promise he had made to his mate. _Zela… _he thought longingly. _If I must, I'll bear it…._

Macavity brow cocked slightly, as if he heard this thought. "Zela?" he murmured, seeming confused, but in a dark, hostile way. The ginger tom stood there a minute before smirking fiendishly. "Oh, Marceth… you cannot be serious… You didn't seriously fall in love with my daughter!"

Marceth only stared at him, his face resembling a deer in the headlights. "…How did you-"

"My dear boy, I can hear every word you utter in your pitiful, one-track mind. I'm sure Mummy dearest here can explain it to you later." Macavity smirked as he moved away from the two of them and sat down in his large, black chair, "But now I finally see how my girl escaped so easily. She had her claws sunk so deep into you that you catered to her every whim… How did I not see what a charmer she could be…?"

Marceth only stared at his boss, feeling his whole body chilled and his pain numbing. He was afraid now of what Macavity was going to do to him. Wynestelle put a paw on his arm, incidentally being the arm that was broken. The tortoiseshell only winced as they both silently waited for Macavity's judgment. What if he used him to get to Zela? What if he killed him right in front of her? The ginger tom glanced up at the both of them, his smirk fading slightly.

"… She did not fall in love with you, boy." He told him quietly. Marceth blinked, but did not respond, since he didn't fully understand. Macavity continued: "She used you to get away. Come now, why would she fall in love with you? So you think just because she slept with you means that she had feelings for you? You stupid little pollicle, the girl needed a way out, and you were her escape… I take pity on you, Marcetheus. You were fooled by an illusion of love." Macavity turned his head to the side and smirked quietly, "She's her father's daughter after all…"

Maybe it was because he didn't want to believe it; maybe it was because he had found a little strength by the anger brewing inside of him, but Marceth only shook his head. "You're wrong, Macavity, Sir." He looked down slightly, still trying to build some courage. "Zelaphelia did love me. I know it. If she were around, you would know it too, but she loves me. And yes, I did help her in every way I could."

Wynestelle's eyes widened, "Marceth-"

"She would have done everything she could to get away from you, but that was only because she was trying to help the cats that she was actually loyal to! Do you know why she kept so close to you all the time? Learned from you? She wanted your secrets! That's how she got the cure for the Jellicles!" Marceth sat up and wobbly stood to his knees. His eyes were now focused on Macavity, who was now just staring at him with intrigue. "You were fooled by your own spawn. You let her defeat you, Macavity! And I bet if you ever found her and dragged her back here, she would do it again! Just like she did the first time!" Yes, Zela had told the story of what her first experience with Macavity was like. It was now a tale he was going to tell to many cats. "Macavity, even if you killed us both right here, right now, it still wouldn't matter. The truth is out there, whether you like it or not. And pretty soon, you're going to be just as washed up as any other criminal! You are defeated Macavity. Surely this last scheme that failed horribly now proves it."

Silence. Not one sound came from Macavity. His face was focused on his paws, which were drumming quietly on the chair's arm. The tension kept building with every tap on the leather.

When the drumming finally stopped, Macavity blankly looked up at the tortoiseshell. "… Go. You will stay here, but you will sleep in a cell and be alienated by the henchcats. You will continue your work as a guard, but will remain silent for the rest of your miserable life. I only pity you, Marceth, for falling in false love. Wynestelle, you will bring him back to his cell, and come straight back here. If you help your son at all, he will die. Now go."

Marceth wasn't sure why, but there was a somberness to the ginger tom's tone. Not the same commanding, cold voice that he had always known. Wynestelle quietly stood her son to his feet and rushed him out before Marceth could ask any questions. His mother's breaths grew heavy as she quickly led him down the hall. She glanced at him and slightly glared, "He could have killed you, Marceth! He probably still will! You should have stayed silent!"

"I couldn't let him get away with it…" Marceth defended quietly.

"Well, if you thought you had the lowest place in the Warehouse, you most certainly do now." Wynestelle still sounded angry, but there were tears running down her cheeks. The masked, irate vixen was gone, and in her place was an emotionally distraught mother; a rarity for the white queen. Marceth didn't say a word until they got back to the doors that led downstairs to the cells. Wyne hugged her son close to him, this time watching his arm. "My boy… I'm sorry that I never told you…"

Marceth blinked as he did his best to pull away from his mother. "Tell me what, Mum?"

Wynestelle stared down at her feet, for once looking ashamed. "… You are a mystic, Marceth. That's why Macavity can hear your thoughts. Apparently, all mystics can communicate with other mystics." She glanced up at him, but Marceth was only staring at her, even more shocked now. She sighed quietly, "I wanted to tell you so badly, my son. But your father and I knew Macavity would use your powers… We tried to disconnect you from yourself emotionally, but with age, magic grows stronger… I know because my mother was a mystic. She told me everything there was about mystics that I should know, if I were to have a kit … These things tend to skip generations, you know…"

Marceth was now totally confused. How did he not know this all of his life? "…Do you know what my powers are?" he asked her quietly.

"You can drain energy, Marceth. If you're emotionally riled enough, someone can fall asleep by being touched by you. If you're around mystics, their powers grow weak in your presence. When you were a kit, Macavity made you cry, and he fell asleep when he gave you back to me… He never knew about it until now… your father and I told him about it a day ago. That's why your father died. Macavity thought we were traitors because we never told him about your magic…."

The tortoiseshell stared at her with wide eyes, lightly touching his broken arm as he felt tears form in his own eyes. It all made sense. How Zela was always so tired around him. How Tugger fell asleep when he pushed him. But there was something else stirring in Marceth: the thought that he could have used his powers against the boss… against everyone… "I can't believe it…"

"I'm sorry, my son! I am!" Wynestelle stared at him desperately, "Please, please forgive me, my child! You're the only family I have left!"

Marceth simply nudged her away and started walking down the stairs. He was slowly trying to adjust to this shock. There were so many shocks today that he didn't even know what to think anymore. He heard his mother start to cry from the top of the stairs, but Marceth ignored it. He simply focused on how he could use this new opportunity to his advantage. He would find a way to fulfill his promise. He would be back with Zela again….

~^..^~

**A/N: You know, this might be the shortest amount of time I've updated… It's kind of cool. I'm going to have to do this more often. I'm really glad I got to update once more before I go on vacation. (The first and last this summer) There should be one more chapter left to do then! *is excited* ^_^**


	31. Signs

…_"You can drain energy, Marceth. If you're emotionally riled enough, someone can fall asleep by being touched by you. If you're around mystics, their powers grow weak in your presence.…. That's why your father died. Macavity thought we were traitors because we never told him about your magic…."_

_The tortoiseshell stared at her with wide eyes, lightly touching his broken arm as he felt tears form in his own eyes. It all made sense. How Zela was always so tired around him. How Tugger fell asleep when he pushed him. But there was something else stirring in Marceth: the thought that he could have used his powers against the boss. "I can't believe it…"…_

_~^..^~_

There were mourning murmurs passing through the Junkyard, each as grave as the next. Not one Jellicle stayed by themselves, for this was not a time to be spent alone. Though the darkness had finally been drained from the tribe's system, the emotional remains were scarring. The most unfortunate Jellicles had narrowly escaped death and were put to bed rest. Others were now walking around and acting as if nothing had happened for the next five days. But all Jellicles found the strength to attend the largest event during this period of deplore: Old Deuteronomy's funeral.

The Jellicles were scattered around the Junkyard. The death of a leader was considered to be the largest tragedy that a tribe like this could suffer. It was customary on this specific day of grief that all stayed silent until the ceremony was over. A leader's death was sacred to the Junkyard. As Munkustrap's speech had entailed, Deuteronomy had been an amazing leader and the best father. The anecdotes shared came from the older part of the tribe; stories of the old leader's triumphs and how kind he was. Skimbleshanks professed full heartedly that the Deuteronomy's first priority had always been his tribe, even as a tom kit.

Obliged with the family tradition, it was always expected for Deuteronomy to take over as the leader. The oldest kit was normally chosen as the protector of the tribe, and eventually the leader. Deuteronomy lived up to both theses expectations, and succeeded a hundred times over. The only flaw anyone recognized was how he handled Macavity. His oldest son, the one with the most promise, ironically was Deuteronomy's murderer. Yet everyone tried to stay quiet on Macavity's name while stories were shared. What everyone focused on was what a wonderful life their late leader lived. At the end of the ceremony, several able cats helped to move their leader's body to the Russell Hotel. His body could have easily been mistaken for an estranged package wrapped in gauze. While nine cats left the Junkyard, the others sang their song of farewell; a memory that would not be forgotten easily for the now leaderless tribe.

Munkustrap sat down on the tire, watching a clouded sunset from a distance. He couldn't see much, but the light was still there, hiding in small cracks, surfacing behind large junk piles. And the closer it go to obliterating darkness, the sunset became less obvious. The silver tabby sighed quietly as he kept his eyes wandering around, trying not to think of the most recent events. He felt too much shame for all the things he did wrong. Deuteronomy wouldn't have been proud of him for giving up. That was why Munkustrap knew how to honor his father's memory and retain a way to be redeemed. He would fully embrace the responsibilities of the Jellicle leader.

"Munk? You up here?"

Munkustrap turned his head and faintly smiled at Demeter padding up the steps of the tire. She still seemed exhausted most of the time, but her symptoms had easily cleared up after she woke up and she was no long coughing up blood. A great sign, if Munk ever saw one. "Hey, Deme," he purred, lightly nuzzling her head when she met up with him on the tire. "How are you?"

"Better from earlier this morning…" she murmured. Demeter lightly nuzzled him back before letting her gaze flutter around to the sunset. "At least the funeral ended beautifully…"

"Yeah…Dad would have wanted it like that…" Munkustrap glanced at his mate, wondering what she would think of him fully accepting responsibility of the tribe. "I also think that… he would want me to fully take his place…officially…. Right?"

The gold queen gave her mate a raised eyebrow, "Really, Munk? ….You really want to be the leader of this tribe?"

"Well…I know I want to take on the responsibility that Deuteronomy chose me for… I know it seems really soon, but… This tribe has been through a lot. We'll all need time to recover, and we need someone to get us through it. I think that should be me…"

Munkustrap side glanced to see what Demeter's reaction was. She was biting her lip, which was naturally a not-so-good sign. "…Munk… You know you've been through a lot too. I mean, you almost killed yourself, infected at the time or not." The gold queen turned herself towards him and wrapped an arm around his waist, making certain that their eyes were fixed. "Are you positive that this is what you want to do?"

"…It's what I should do, Deme. For Dad. For the tribe. For us and our family. It's the only way I can make up for everything." Munkustrap smiled lightly as he grabbed his mate's paw and clutched it. "I want to do this, Deme."

Like a quick flit of a falling star, Demeter's eyes seemed to smile with a hidden brightness. She lightly kissed her mate before resting her head on his shoulder. "Then you should do it."

Munkustrap's smile widened, the approval of his mate raising all of his spirits for their bright future. Maybe being a leader wouldn't really be that bad. He would be staying home for the tribe, and not go off like his father would sometimes. He would build amity between other tribes in the country, and hopefully –like so many tribe leaders before him- he would be the cause of the Jellicles to grow into a devoted, longevous family.

The silver tabby grinned, "So, what do you think of 'Old Munkustrap' for a title in a few years?"

The gold queen simply laughed and hugged her mate closer to her. "We're not grandparents yet, Munk…."

~^..^~

Zela rushed back into the Junkyard, trying to remain cool and collected. But internally, there was no end to the string of guilty things she had done that day. The first and foremost, skipped her own grandfather's funeral…

It wasn't something she was proud of, and the Everlasting Cat was sure to punish her in the long run for such a heinous act of disrespect. But that wasn't the worst of it. Zela's feelings of stupidity and guilt flew over her as she started walking to Jellylorum's den. She had been feeling very strange the past few days. Heavyside forbid she was sick. There was enough panic about the toxin. The tribe didn't very well need to worry about another sick Jellicle. Trying in vain to compose herself before she met with another cat, Zela's mind was wrapped around a complicated series of events that took place before morning. It was a difficult thought to acknowledge, but even with taking the responsibilities of her actions, Zela felt a cold shadow of guilt wash over her and remain with her. There was no way she would be able to step out into a warm, comfortable, forgiving sunlight again…

~~~ (_Before dawn_) ~~~

_The Warehouse was always dark. Always. It even remained hidden in a full moon, as if all clouds had gathered together and settled to stay in that one particular spot. This time, it was different. The darkness usually added a spark of vitality, tipping off to anyone who happened to walk by that this was a sinister, horrifying world where a drop of sunlight couldn't bear to live. But as Zela stared at the poorly built structure, she realized the life was gone. All that was left of her former home was now hollowed in its dark, dull shell. Something wasn't right. _

_Was it strange that she was prancing into Macavity's grounds? Of course it was. Yet, she made it easily enough here. There weren't even guards posted anywhere, or at least as far as she knew. What had happened to her father that his headquarters was demolished into a desolate ghost town? Yet Zela knew why she was here, despite these minor observations. Throughout all this time she had been home at the Junkyard, her mind constantly remained on Marceth. _

_Maybe he was what drove her here. Too many unanswered questions remained on their last circumstance. But speaking to Marceth was only part of the reason now that she had witnessed the state of the Warehouse. Macavity was no longer taking care of the business he had spent years building up. That was the first stop on this unsanctioned mission._

_Taking the same route to Macavity's office that Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer had shown her, Zela hung from the rafters, arching herself along one of the wooden planks like a skulking spider hiding its webs in the darkened corners of the ceiling. Looking down into the den, Zela's eyes searched around for her father. Maybe he had isolated himself away, scheming up some new ways to torture the Junkyard. Surely, he heard about the death of his father! A tom opposing the Jellicles must have found that to be a large victory. And the Jellicle protector would probably be next. She was going to prevent that prediction from coming true; no matter what the costs. _

_But this determinated version of Zela's bravado was swiftly swept from under her feet, and a new sensation of confusion hit her when Macavity's figure finally appeared. He wasn't hunched over his desk, furiously scribbling sketches and notes for his latest scheme, nor was he darkly working out a plan whilst sitting in his favorite chair. The Napoleon of Crime, a master criminal, was lying down inside his closet with only his dull face and relaxed paws exposed. _

_Zela raised an eyebrow, thinking that surely this was a trick. He must be up to something so evil that it required him to sit inside his closet! Zela repeated that thought in her head, but it sounded insane. Calmly climbing down off the rafters and into the den, the gold-red queen walked toward her father._

_He noticed her after a second, probably from her scent staining his den. Surprisingly, he stayed put. There wasn't any manic laughter. No violent movements, forcing her to react quickly. Macavity simply sat there with an annoyed scowl on his face. Zela tilted her head to the side, slightly raising an eyebrow at him. Was this truly what her father had reduced himself to? Was this why the Warehouse suddenly expressed profuse lackadaisy? _

_To more of a shock, Zela witnessed her father gave an annoyed eye roll and calmly turned his head away from her. "Now what do _you_ want?" he asked flatly._

_Zela stared at her father vigorously, as if he was a stranger. "…I don't really know." She replied, her paws shifting awkwardly. "I had come to confront you…"_

_With a tired sigh, Macavity sat up from the closet and exposed the rest of his body into the light of the shaded windows. "Confront me, hm? I thought it was to gloat."_

"_Gloat?" Zela bit the inside of her lip. Maybe it was to take some of the stressful confusion off her shoulders. This tom couldn't be her father!_

"_Yes, Gloat!" Macavity snarled in his usual tone of annoyance. At least some part of him was recognizable. He turned his head to her, his scowl now much deeper. "Were you not here to remind me how I had failed to exterminate the Junkyard? Or perhaps you came to express your congratulations to me for ultimately collapsing into pieces!" his scowl turned to the floor, "The most respected criminal in United Kingdom… The tom who has more connections than a human could ever _hope_ to have! Defeated by his shrewish daughter and the tom she seduced…" _

_This made Zela's ears perk. He couldn't possibly mean… "Marceth?"_

_Macavity spat at the floor. "Yes, your little toy happened to confess everything!" he hissed, "For some reason, I left him alive… Maybe because he was the one that made me realize the follies that I made." The ginger tom turned his head back to his daughter, looking angered again. "My own offspring makes a fool of me… But at least I can applaud that you got your crafty mind from me. Only a charmer could manipulate a tom like that."_

"…_Where is he?" Zela asked, needing to see her mate again. Her father was a wreck, so he wasn't a problem. Now only Marceth was her concern._

"_Why should I tell you?" Macavity asked back, giving her a disgusted look. "… You're just like your mother, stealing the hearts of toms, then abandoning them." _

"_You hurt her!" Zela spat at him, her paws curling into sparking fists, ready to discharge electricity. _

_Macavity hissed and jumped up to his feet. "I didn't do anything to her! _She _left _me_!" The ginger tom started to develop a look that alarmed he was growing angry. But as if the sun had come out in his twisted mind, Zela witnessed her father smirk again. "And you did the exact same thing to your precious mate, am I right?"_

_The gold-red queen sat up straight, her paws slightly relaxing. But she held a large amount of suspicion for her father. "No, not right… Marceth told me to go…"_

"_He probably planned on you coming back, though." He pointed out, still smirking. This was beginning to infuriate Zela._

"_And I did!" She hissed, "I'm back for him now!"_

"_Oh, are you? Zela, for all you know, maybe you could have waited too long. Perhaps it was just enough time where I could have twisted his mind enough to sever it into two. Do you remember what state Mungojerrie was in, darling? I can make Marceth twice as horrifying."_

_Though shocked at the picture now given to her, Zela was still uncertain about what her father was implying. "…What are you talking about?" she asked suspiciously._

"_I know he cares for you. I know you care for him. But if you don't want to see him dead… then you'll never see him again." Macavity moved back into his chair, acting as though this convoluted scheme had been swiveling around in his mind the whole time. The Napoleon of Crime was back._

_In an instant that felt like eternity had passed by, Zela's jaw dropped. "…Why?"_

"_I believe the old saying is 'misery loves company'. You decided to leave without him, so you left his heart here." Zela was about to go on a rant to her father, ready to tell him that he couldn't invade her life like this. He couldn't take her love from her! But he swiftly beat her to it. "I'm a patient tom, daughter. I know I can never have you on my side. But Marcetheus has always been; since the day he was born. There's no way you'll be able to change that." Smirking deviously, Macavity pointed to his desk, where an ink pen and paper set. "Send him a last word. I'll proof read it for you, and see if I like it. And I'll gladly be sure he sees it."_

_This was the refusal of the century. There was no way Zela was going to allow her father to control her like this. "No! I can't! I won't!"_

_Macavity's smirk only widened, "… Don't forget who's holding the cards this time, Zelaphelia. It's this, or Marceth's life will come at a very short, very painful end." _

_Although she couldn't believe that her own father was doing this to her, she didn't have any choice in the matter. Zela closed her eyes painstakingly, her paws shaking with the wish that she could strike her belittling father and be done with this. But he was probably expecting that. He wasn't going to let her win this battle. No one would. _

_Deciding on surrender, the gold –red queen quietly walked to the desk and reluctantly grabbed the ink pen. She began her letter, under the surveying eye of Macavity, whose face now was now smothered in his own smugness…_

_When the letter was finished, Zela handed it to him, waited for his approval, and then left with the knowledge that she was going to break Marceth's heart…_

_~~~~~ (present time) ~~~~~_

"…Jelly… that can't be true… I… I can't believe that …"

Jellylorum simply shook her head. "I'm sorry, Zela. But it's as plain as day. You have all the symptoms."

Zela continued staring at the medical queen, internally deciding how to react to this news. Her mind kept repeating that this was_ not_ good. "…I…thank you, Jelly…"

"…Do you want me to go with you to your mother?" Jelly asked, simply wanting to comfort the young queen in any way possible.

"No!" she yelped immediately, "No… no, that's just fine. I can handle this… I'd appreciate it if you kept this between us, Jelly."

"…Sure, Zela. Whatever you say. But if you need any support, I'll be here… I'm sorry about this, dear…"

"That's okay, Jelly… Thanks again." Not even thinking over Jellylorum's offers, Zela quickly ran out of the examination den, quickly running to her own den to think over what her next move would be. That move was to cry for a few hours by herself…

~^..^~

The grieving tragedy that came from the Junkyard funeral had finally appeased. The tribe members went to their appropriate dens, allowing their home to fall silent. In honor of their fallen leader, each den opening was lit by a small candle, in hopes that Deuteronomy's soul would make a peaceful transition to his next life. Misto smiled as he blew out the match and left the remains next to his candle. He was a little more cheerful than expected, mostly due to his mate lying on their bed. The tuxedo tom quickly joined Victoria, immediately putting his paw on the stomach that had grown three sizes since he last saw her.

The white queen smiled widely as his paw moved through her fur. "Hello, darling…"

"Hello, my love." Misto lightly kissed her cheek and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. Their behavior during this day of grief, had someone noticed, would be deemed extremely inappropriate. But the two mates could hardly contain their joy of being reunited. This experience made Mistoffelees realize that with a family on the way, he had to set his priorities straight. They had been separated for too long, and if that happened again after the kits were born, who knows what kind of life they would have? After rejoining each other, Misto shared his worries of their kits with Victoria; how their magic could affect her health. She seemed to listen and understand everything, and even pointed out that perhaps the magic their kits were developing had protected her from contracting the virus. He wasn't sure why, but this eased his worries. In fact, it made him more eager to see his kits born. "Just one more month," his mate would say. How that month would be slow.

Mistoffelees smiled up at the ceiling, keeping his body close to hers. "The funeral seemed to go well." He offered for conversation, though he hadn't been keeping too much attention on the funeral. He would acknowledge his shame for that later.

"Yes, it did…" Victoria slowly moved her head to face her mate, "…Did you see my sister anywhere there?"

"Which one? Electra or Zela?"

"Zela, of course. Electra was standing right in front of us."

Misto paused, quickly giving his mate a sheepish grin. "Right, right… Actually, I didn't see Zela there." Not that he knew if she had been there.

"I didn't either!" The white queen turned her whole body to face him, her facial expression growing in concern. "Misto, Zela told me something really interesting the day you came back. She said she… mated with someone..."

At this, Misto froze, which became a dead giveaway from Victoria. "Misto, do you know something about this?" She immediately sat up in the bed.

"…I might have…"

"Misto!" The white queen pulled her mate up into a sitting position. "Please tell me! Who was it she mated with?"

The tuxedo tom sighed, "Vic, I really don't want this to become a piece of information for Junkyard gossip. Zela's been through enough."

She rolled her eyes. "Misto, I'm not going to tell anyone! Just tell me or I swear you're not going to be sleeping on this bed until the kits are born!"

"Alright! Alright…" Misto sighed quietly. The shame was easily sneaking up on him this time. Zela had given this information to him in confidence, after all. "…It was a henchcat named Marcetheus… He was her guard."

Victoria stared at her mate for a short time before shooting up out of the bed. "We've got to go get her, Misto. We've got to talk some sense into her."

"Don't you think you're taking this a little too seriously?" Misto asked her, "The tom helped us escape. I know for a fact he felt the same way for her."

"I don't care! A stooge of Macavity cannot be accepted into the tribe! You know that!" Before Misto could respond, the white queen started dragging him out of their den and headed to Zela's.

Though he was trying to explain things to her, the white queen seemed to ignore anything that came out of his mouth. There wasn't a chance of her focus drifting. When they finally arrived to her sister's den, Victoria furiously knocked on the door. A few impatient moments later, there was a brief silence. Misto was about to tell his mate to leave it, but again, she ignored him. "Zela! You come out!" Not even waiting for a response, the pregnant queen burst through the door and started looking around her sister's den.

It only took Misto one moment to figure it out. "…She's gone." In the next moment, Misto found himself being dragged off to Munkustrap's den…

~^..^~

"_Marceth,_

_What else can I say first but to let you know how much I love you? That's why this is the hardest thing I had to write. Had we not been born in different worlds, then I would be with you right now. We could run away, perhaps to France like we talked about. You told me about going to the seaside at Le Havre. And love, I promise you that I will never forget about those talks, and I take them to heart. But this just wasn't something that was meant to be. If Macavity ever finds out about this relationship, he will use it against us. We are better off away from each other, at least for now. But here I am, praying that someday our paths will cross again, and will continue to until Heavyside grants my wish. But if it shouldn't happen, please try to move on._

_With all love,_

_Zela."_

Marceth stared down at the words of the letter, letting it float out of his hands to the floor. The dark spots under his eyes started growing at each blot of ink that smudged the paper and every tear drop that spoiled it. His heart had sunken to the bottom of his stomach right down to her name. "It can't be true…"

First the magic thing and now his only love had abandoned him. Marceth just shook his head, holding his head in his paws as he tried to maintain his controlled silence. _Zela, please talk to me! Don't do this to me! Don't leave me here alone! _He kept shouting the thoughts in his head, wishing she could hear him. No answer.

"…Zela…Zela why…?" He felt so confused, like a part of him had shattered and was spread around the floor. He was trapped. His Zelaphelia had sentenced him to this life of torture and starvation, never to see her again.

Suddenly, he heard a noise from behind him. Marcetheus stood up, his eyes wide when the figure stood by the door of his cell. "Zela?" he called desperately. Had she come back for him?

This sudden flicker of hope, however, was too good to be true. Instead of the radiant gold-red queen there to salvage him, there stood a black tom with a long scar along his cheek. "Hello, Marcetheus."

Marceth simply glared and curled up back up in Zela's old cell. "Leave me alone…"

"It's quite a shame about your mate, Marceth. It's the talk of the Warehouse you know. Your mother hasn't shut up about your… or your magic." Marceth heard the tom's footsteps come into the cell, and the faint crunch of paper could be heard under Barnabas' foot. "Being without love can kill… how about take out your anger on the one who caused your separation?"

Hearing this, Marcetheus turned over and raised an eyebrow at the black tom, "What are you talking about?"

Barnabas smirked, "You see, Marceth, the core of the henchcats is not what it used to be. It's time for us to take back the independence we were once promised. Once we take down the one oppressing us… well, think about it. Your Zela might hear about it and come back to you."

Thinking about this for a few seconds, Marcetheus sat up. Of course he was interested in this. If there was a way to get his Zelaphelia back, he would do anything it would take. "…I'm listening."

Barnabas smirked deeply as he sat down next Marcetheus, beginning to explain his plans for a rebellion…

~^..^~

"Mom! Dad! Zela gone! She ran away!" Victoria stared up at Munkustrap and Demeter, her mate sitting up in front of her. She was about ready to explain everything that Misto told her. She couldn't allow Zela to make this mistake in her life.

Demeter looked up from her bed, immediately sitting up in the bed. "What? Where did she go?"

"We have no idea." Misto answered, obviously trying to keep Victoria quiet. "She's not in the den, and I can't contact her."

Munkustrap raised an eyebrow as he sat up with his mate. "Are you sure? Where could she have gone?"

"I don't know… I think her scent left the Junkyard."

Demeter covered her mouth, her eyes wide in shock. "…No… Not again… My girl wouldn't leave us again after everything that's happened!"

The silver tabby nodded in agreement, standing up to his tall form. "Exactly! Where could she have gone? Why would she leave?"

Victoria, of course, had her own theory. Zela was obviously going off to see her henchcat lover. Yet, before she could say anything, a voice from behind interrupted on the conversation: "I think I know why she left…"

Everyone turned around to see Jellylorum standing by the den entrance. She walked in quietly toward Demeter and Munkustrap, her eyes looking tired and sad. "…She came to me today earlier, complaining of stomach cramps and headaches. I told her she was expecting kits…"

Nothing but silence filled the room for the longest time.

The white queen wasn't sure why, but she allowed the lingering silence to continue from her. Her mother started to panic. Jelly tried to explain things to Munk, and Mistoffelees was whispering a few things to her, begging her not to say anything.

Finally, when the mania ended, her father asked everyone in the room to keep this confidential, concerned about Zelaphelia's privacy. When she came back, they would sort this through. Victoria decided to comply with this logic…

~^..^~

A plain, brown tom looked at his pocket watch, seeing that it was midnight; the time to sail. "All ashore who's going ashore!" he shouted, watching passengers shuffle on to the gang plank and into his boat, the _Ubasti. _All of these English cats were planning to port in Le Havre, France, which didn't surprise him. He sailed there more than once throughout these years. It was a lovely place to spend a holiday.

Suddenly a young, gold-red queen ran up the gang plank, giving him a polite smile before boarding. He smiled back at her, deciding she would be the last passenger to be admitted on the _Ubasti_ tonight. By tomorrow, they would all arrive in France…

~^..^~

**A/N: Wow. Hard to believe that this is the last chapter, isn't it? MWAHAHAHAHA! THAT'S RIGHT, EVERYONE! Another sequel is being planned!**

**Well, instead of my special last chapter where I talk all the time, I'll just use this last bit of space on page 11. **

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed, and a HUGE thanks to those who continued to follow the story! It might have taken me about two years, but I'm so glad to finally be finished with this story.**

**Now, because I love everyone who is reading, the next fic planned as a sequel will be titled Zelaphelia's Return. Creative, right? XD**

**Again, big thanks to everyone! This series has really made my life on FF. I can't wait to start the continuation, though I might start a few other fics before beginning the first chapter of the next one. **

**BIG HUG FOR EVERYONG! *Hug* AND COOKIES! *Gives cookies***

**See ya at the next fic!**


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